EDITORS' PICK

Would you believe it if you hear that Chennai has around 160 public libraries? While the Connemara and the Anna Centenary libraries are icons in their own right, the city has a total of 162 part and full time libraries open to the public. From military quarters to hospitals and the regional passport office, part-time and branch libraries have been functioning modestly from a range of spaces across across different wards. The Tamil Nadu Public Libraries Act, notified in 1948 provided for the establishment of public libraries for both rural and urban areas across the state. As per the Act,…

When old friends of 30 years plus get together, primarily to recollect with nostalgia the years spent in the NCC,  talks are wide ranging, covering  every subject under the sun. So, it was not unexpected that we wandered onto the subject of places where people don't get much of the sun (read cheer), and that led the three of us to knock on the forbidding gates of Puzhal Prison to bring some cheer into prison routine. The good intentions almost vaporised with the tedious process of verification of antecedents by the police - who seemed puzzled as to why anyone…

As school-children, many of us have probably heard lectures or talks emphasizing the use of emergency helplines during distress. On an average, a school-going child is aware of at least one helpline. Over the years, we may also have come to know about helplines through advertisements, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), hoardings, messages on social media etc. The government has repeatedly emphasized on dialling helplines during distress by conducting several campaigns for creating awareness. New helplines are also being launched to cater to the growing needs. So, what happens when we dial a helpline? Let’s look at the working of some of…

Karnataka, one of the only five remaining states in the country where Congress rule still prevails, is gearing up to host a major electoral battle that will not just decide the next Assembly but is also expected to create a reflective impact on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2019 election campaign. Two months prior to the state elections, the anxiety of the people is palpable in the ‘Karnataka Voters' Survey 2018’  released by the Chief Election Commissioner, Om Prakash Rawat, at IIM Bangalore on March 9. The state’s capital with a population of 12.34 million is home to 28 of the…

To provide seamless movement of vehicles at toll plazas, FASTag was launched  in the year 2014. The FASTag is a passive RFID tag affixed at the centre of the windscreen of vehicles. Vehicles can drive through the FASTag lanes at toll plazas after recharging their Tag accounts and the toll amount will be automatically deducted from the account. The rules made in 2014  also contained a provision that any non-FASTag vehicle entering the dedicated FASTag lane would have to pay two times the toll amount, i.e., 100% penalty. The progress of FASTag The government has now made it mandatory  for all vehicles manufactured or sold after…

Aravind Limbavali is the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Mahadevapura constituency. Summary 2nd time MLA in Mahadevapura, reserved constituency for SC/ST General Secy of BJP Karnataka Engineer by training, started as RSS/ABVP member Minister of Higher Education and later Health and Family Welfare in 2008-13 BJP government. Active in the 2013-18 assembly with many questions on lakes, roads and other urban development topics Bulk of his LAD funds have been spent on Bus Shelters - more than 5 crores. Constituency continues to struggle with issues of water, polluted lakes and traffic nightmares   Profile of MLA Arvind Limbavali is…

Kurangini is a small village in one of the valleys of the Bodi range, in Theni district. Small estates along with tourism serve as its lifelines. A jeep path connects it to the world’s highest tea plantations at Kolukkumalai. There is another road, made of compacted soil, unmotorable, and lined with plantations that connects the two places. A few metres down, a log tied across the road draws attention to two boards displayed by the forest department. One names the place and mentions Rs 200 as the trekking fee while the other admonishes him for trespassing. Most of the time,…

Among other useful features, The National Voters’ Services Portal (NVSP) allows us to search for voter data by entering the Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC) number or voter name. Unfortunately, the data we get with this query refers to an older version of the electoral rolls, though the result claims to have been updated on the date of query – misleading us further. This is an old (and ignored?) problem.  Exactly two years ago, I reported to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), his Director, IT, and the Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (CEO-KA), about this issue. Since then I have written to them…

So World Water Day is here again and it is time for us all to be reminded of habits that we really must practise the year round! Two questions at the outset: first, can you ever imagine bathing with expensive mineral water, when tap water is available? And second, can you bathe/shower with 5 mugs of water? I am sure the answer to both is no, but hang on to those answers till we revisit them, after we establish that the situation this year is worse than ever before. Yes, it is time to worry! First Cape Town running out…

Sewerage management has become a Herculean problem in Chennai. Thanks to the inaction by government departments, our sewage reaches our water bodies sans any treatment, either through the storm water drain network or private septic tanks. The hard reality is that the pumping stations are running beyond their capacities, resulting in sewage stagnation in many localities including Adambakkam and Egmore. But how many of us know that grey water recycling can not only address these issues to a large extent but can also cut down on the household monthly water budget? By making use of the water used in the…