EVENTS

Around 120 bike riders participated in the ‘Men Take Lead Ride 2019’ on Sunday, to commemorate the international Menstrual Hygiene (MH) Day. World over, MH Day is being observed today, May 28th, to bring attention to girls’ and women’s health and empowerment. The theme of this year’s ‘Men Take Lead Ride’ was to address the issue of isolation and untouchability around mensuration. It was organised by the Bengaluru-based NGO Breaking the Silence Worldwide Foundation, in partnership with the motorcycle club India Bull Riders and Radio Active 90.4 MHz. Shreya Krishnan, Mrs India 2017, flagged off the ride on Sunday. Eminent…

May 28th is World Menstrual Hygiene Day, and around this time, government organisations focus on menstrual health. Increasingly, there are conversations and programmes around Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). While this is a welcome change, these programmes often end up communicating that the only “good” way to manage periods is by using disposable sanitary pads. Many organisations and schemes donate pads or make them available at a subsidised rate. The pads are laden with chemicals that are extremely harmful to health and create havoc in the waste management world. Menstrual cups and cloth pads are a healthier, cost-effective, comfortable and trash-free…

Over 200 home buyers across the state participated in a protest at the Town Hall on May 18th, demanding proper enforcement by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) in Karnataka. The protest was organised by the Forum for People’s Collective Efforts, Karnataka Chapter (known earlier as Fight for RERA), in association with the Namma Bengaluru Foundation, Bangalore Apartments' Federation, Federation of Apartment Associations Bengaluru, and various Resident Welfare Associations and organisations across Karnataka. The protesters said that Karnataka RERA (KRERA) has not taken any stringent action even when its own judgements were not honoured by erring builders and developers. There…

Do you know how much electricity common household appliances consume when you use it? What is the reason behind your skyrocketing electricity bills in the summer? How can you use the appliances in your house in an optimum way that in turn can bring your bills down? Minsarathai Semippom, an initiative focused on energy efficiency and conservation at a household level, can now help you figure out the answers to these questions. The programme is being run the Citizen consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), in partnership with Technology Informatics Design Endeavour (TIDE) and supported by Societe Generale Global Solution…

1,697 citizens from Chennai took an oath to embrace source segregation yesterday (May 12th), during a door-to-door campaign conducted by Citizen Consumer and civic Action Group (CAG), in collaboration with Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). The campaign was conducted in three locations in Chennai -- Anna Nagar, Adyar and Royapuram.   The day began with a gathering of people at three different venues. Besides the regular walking population, Anna Nagar Tower park bustled with residents, volunteers, conservancy workers and corporation officials for the event. The Kasturba Nagar Community hall in Adyar and Anna Park in Royapuram also saw good crowds, comprised…

With just two days to go for Phase 2 of the 17th Lok Sabha Polls, civic campaigns complement the Election Commission of India's back-to-back activities on creating awareness about the right to vote. As part of the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) activities by the Election Commission, Greater Chennai Corporation has organised various activities such as Parasailing, bike rally and workshops to reach out to the voters. The website of the Chief Electoral officer, Tamil Nadu is filled with awareness videos by eminent film personalities such as Vijay Sethupathi and Vivek. Created by the Election Commission, #MakeYourMarkTN is…

To address the looming air pollution crisis in Bengaluru, Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL), a leading European non-profit organisation, in collaboration with Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA), launched the Healthy Air Coalition on Friday, 5th April, at the St John’s Research Institute (SJRI). SJRI is a key partner of the initiative. According to a study published in the environment journal Lancet Planetary Health, air pollution in India leads to at least 1.2 million premature deaths each year. The 2018 study attributed one in eight deaths that occurred in India in 2017 to poor air quality and exposure to ultra-fine…

Come summer and Bengalureans can be seen obsessively discussing water, or rather the lack of it. While water tankers bring momentary relief, residents can’t help pondering over the long-term implications of water shortage. To find solutions to the water crisis, the third water workshop organised by ADDA, a company that offers an integrated apartment management software for gated communities, brought to light several ongoing sustainable water management initiatives. On March 23rd, representatives of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), citizen groups and activists met at the The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) campus to seek solutions to the ongoing water crisis in…

The iconic Chennai Photo Biennale is drawing to a close this weekend. The event that showcases the work of 50 artists from 13 countries across the world has seen yet another successful run and will end on March 24, 2019.  A myriad activities that were part of the schedule included film screenings, workshops, interaction with artists and skill training. This year's exhibition saw the opening up of the exquisite Senate House to the public through the efforts of the organisers. With the Biennale winding up, here is what you can catch in the next few days! Biennale roundup Guided tours…

Various citizen collectives and individuals gathered at Maurya Circle on Saturday, demanding cancellation of tenders called for the elevated corridor project. When Citizens Live spoke to the protesters, a range of opinions emerged. Some were clear that the project should be scrapped, while some others said that due process including public consultations should be followed first. However, the general consensus was that public transport should be prioritised over mega projects like the elevated corridor that only encourage car ownership further. https://youtu.be/mQWAOY-jf-g