GENRE: Explainers

Mani C (name changed), a 16-year-old resident of Ambal Nagar, Chennai is irregular to school, but he regularly visits the TASMAC outlet on Jawaharlal Nehru Road as soon as the shutters are raised at 12 noon. His peers and acquaintances have dropped out of school, having taken to the liquor bottle even earlier. If his mother berates him for choosing the wrong path, he says, “I am just doing what Appa (father) does.” The mother runs out of words to convince him. Mani started revolting when he was 14. It was yet another day when his father had beaten him…

50 people have tested positive for Zika virus in Rajasthan's Jaipur following which the Prime Minister's Office sought a detailed report from the Union Health Ministry. This has led to other states stepping up surveillance. Zika doesn't kill people, yet everyone is scared of it. To understand why, we need to delve deep into the subject. So what is Zika fever virus? Why is it important? This is a virus that causes fever and other symptoms among people, and also causes paralysis and neuro-related illnesses in extreme cases. A fact sheet compiled by the World Health Organisation says that Zika…

For many years now Sarvesh (name changed) has been living in a kind of emotional seesaw that makes him swing like a pendulum between deep depression and manic excitement. He is afflicted with Bipolar Affective Disorder (BPAD) and life has not been easy for him or his family members. The latter have however accepted his condition and are supportive. Stated in simple terms, BPAD is a psychiatric disorder that makes it very difficult for people to control their mood swings. Medication is an essential part of the treatment. How did it begin for Sarvesh? 13 years ago, as an alcoholic,…

Reports from a surveillance mechanism of the Health and Family Welfare Department of the Government of India as well as World Health Organisation surveillance reports from Uttar Pradesh showed signs of the type-2 polio virus in stool samples of some children, following which the samples of Oral Polio Vaccines administered to children were sent for testing. This has set off a chain reaction of events, triggering a heated controversy in the realm of public health in India. The test reports confirmed that some batches were contaminated with type 2 polio virus, the manufacturing, distribution and use of which was stopped…

A churn is expected in the solid waste management ecosystem in the city in the coming months. The Chennai Corporation is said to be in the process of finalising the draft Solid Waste Management bye-laws, 2016 in accordance with the Solid Waste Management Rules 2016. The proposed plastic ban to be implemented from January 2019 will only add to the changes that the residents of the city must adapt to once the implementation is in full swing. These measures are expected to help the city cut back on waste generation, one of the highest per capita in the country. Showing…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities M Karthik, Chennai-based software engineer was mighty pleased when he purchased his 350cc Royal Enfield Classic from a showroom in Anna Nagar. But his excitement was considerably muted when he found out that his make of vehicle was among the highest polluting two-wheelers available. Deeply environmentally conscious, Karthik says, “Had I known that my vehicle emits such a lot of greenhouse gases, I would have changed my decision.” But how would he know? Is there really a way for vehicle owners to gauge the emissions from the…

On August 7th this year, transport workers waged a nation-wide strike in protest against the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which was passed by the Lok Sabha and is awaiting passage in the Rajya Sabha. The stir saw support from two state transport corporations of Kerala and Haryana as well as unions across party lines through the country. While the proposed law has largely been welcomed by experts as one that will bring about greater focus on road safety, several proposed changes to the existing Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 do not seem to have gone down well with the opposition parties and transport workers.…

Bengaluru’s water story is full of paradoxes. After all, this is a city where even a lake catches fire. A few hours of rain can wreak havoc on the city. However, come summer, the city faces acute water shortage. It’s not even Bengaluru alone. The Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and the Census 2011 numbers indicate that Delhi meets the water requirement of 82% of its households (population: 17 million). However, the same census numbers show that only 51% of slum-households in Delhi have access to water within their premises. The average level of ground water exploitation in Delhi is 137%,…

உறுப்பு தானத்தில் முன்னோடியாக திகழ்கிறது நம் தமிழ்நாடு. இங்கு தான் அதிகமாக உறுப்பு தானம் செய்பவர்கள் உள்ளனர். மருத்துவமனைகள், தன்னார்வ தொண்டு நிறுவனங்களின் கூட்டு முயற்சி மற்றும் மக்களின் விருப்பம் ஆகியவை இதற்கு காரணிகளாக இருக்கலாம். இருப்பினும் நம்மில் பலருக்கு உறுப்பு தானம் பற்றிய பல விஷயங்கள் தெரியாமல் தான் உள்ளது. இதுவே உறுப்பு தானத்திற்காக காத்திருக்க வேண்டிய அவகாசத்தை அதிகரிக்க செய்கிறது. ஒவ்வொரு வருடமும் உறுப்பு கிடைக்காததால் கிட்டதிட்ட ஐந்து லட்சம் பேர் இறந்து போவதாக என்டிடிவி-ஃபார்டிஸ் மோர் டூ கிவ் விழிப்புணர்வு பிரச்சாரம் கூறுகிறது. பல்வேறு தவறான புரிதல் காரணமாக உறுப்பு தானம் செய்வதில் மக்களுக்கு தயக்கம் இருப்பதையே இந்த பிரச்சாரம் உணர்த்துகிறது. மருத்துவர்கள் மற்றும் சுகாதார ஆர்வலர்களுடன் உரையாடியதிலிருந்து உறுப்பு தானம் குறித்த விளக்கமும், அது குறித்து பல சந்தேகங்களையும் இங்கே தெளிவு படுத்தியுள்ளோம். மேலும் ஏன் உறுப்பு தானம் செய்ய வேண்டும் என்ற முக்கிய கேள்விக்கான…

Did you know that the state has a wide range of welfare schemes for all students, including those studying in private schools? The state department has allocated Rs 2,717.34 for the Transport Department, of which  Rs.799.25 crore is spent on subsidy for free bus passes to students and senior citizens. Bus passes can be availed to travel from a student's residence to school and back on all days of the month. Students with passes are permitted to travel in all ordinary, express and deluxe services. Here is an overview of such schemes available. Special Concession for Students To encourage school going…