GENRE: LN

Thick Avocado milkshake, Red wine from paneer grapes, different varieties of mango and Kiwi -- exotic fruits are never in short supply in our cities these days. But have you ever wondered where these fruits are grown? Has it ever occurred to you that the Lichi you eat may have come all the way from China to our very own Koyambedu market? That there are three varieties of grapes grown in different parts of Tamil Nadu itself? The era of globalisation has seen an explosion of various foods available in urban markets, but most consumers are unaware of the origin…

  HC directs BBMP to install CCTV cameras around lakes On Tuesday, High Court directed the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) to set up closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras around all lakes. This is to maintain security, and prevent illegal activities including encroachments. A Division Bench issued the direction while dictating an interim order in a PIL on poor maintenance of stormwater drains (SWDs) and sewage entry into lakes. The Bench also directed BBMP to draw up a comprehensive plan in six weeks to prevent encroachment of SWDs. Source: The Hindu   Flyover proposed between Kamakhya and Ittamadu BBMP has…

Parched water bodies and empty pots along the lanes of Chennai illustrate the city’s unprecedented water crisis. While mismanagement by government departments and the poor Northeast monsoon have been touted as the primary reasons, let’s not forget our responsibility as citizens. In an attempt to provide solutions to Chennai’s water crisis, ADDA in collaboration with Citizen Matters, Chennai (a digital news media site that reports on urban issues) conducted a knowledge-sharing workshop on Saturday (June 22). More than 70 participants from the apartments of South Chennai, which rely largely on private water tankers, attended the sessions to understand various approaches…

Chennai is facing an unprecedented water crisis with the city’s main reservoirs running dry. The origins of the crisis lie in the failure of the North East monsoon on which the city relies heavily for its water needs. With 54% deficit in rainfall, the prognosis for the coming summer was dire. It required concerted efforts by authorities and citizens on war footing to mitigate what would certainly become one of the worst spells of water scarcity faced by the city. However, the lax attitude to the impending crisis meant that Chennaiites are now facing the full brunt of the mismanagement…

Transport Department against carpool platforms The Transport Department has warned against the use of private cars for carpooling. The warning was in response to the launch of the carpooling service rPool by the online bus ticketing platform redBus. Using the rPool platform, car owners can offer rides in their private cars, and in turn get reward points that they can redeem at a fuel station or Amazon Pay. The service would also benefit passengers since the fares are lower than that of autorickshaws and cabs, claims the platform. However, Transport Department officials say there is no legal provision to allow…

After a failed attempt last year, the BMTC (Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation) has relaunched its online service to issue bus passes to students. From now, the application process for student passes will be completely online, and no physical application forms will be available, says Deepak N, Public Relations Officer at BMTC. The 'smart card' bus pass issued online, would have the photograph and name of the student, along with a unique identification number encrypted into an electronic chip. The chip will also have data on the bus route taken by the student to and from school, and validity of the…

A fleet of trucks carrying fruits, vegetables and flowers arrive at 1 am at the Koyambedu Market. Within a few minutes, daily wage labourers unload these commodities and carry it to the respective shops in the market. One can see customers flocking the market as early as 4 am, to get the best of the goods at a wholesale price. Business flourishes till 10 am, after which it is somewhat dull till 2 pm. Towards the afternoon, customers from far away places such as Perungalathur reach the flower market, to strike the best deal with the wholesale vendors. By evening,…

A committee appointed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) will hold its first public meeting on the rejuvenation of Bellandur and Varthur lakes, on June 21st. The committee, appointed to oversee lake rejuvenation, made the decision at its routine meeting on Tuesday, June 11th. Tuesday's meeting was chaired by committee member Dr U V Singh. Another committee member Prof T V Ramachandra, KSPCB (Karnataka State Pollution Control Board) Member Secretary Manoj Kumar, BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board) Chairman Tushar Girinath, officials from various departments including the Urban Development Department (UDD), attended the meeting. Citizen representatives Jagadish Reddy and…

At a time when Chennai must make pressing choices for environmental conservation, some residents have set heartening examples to be emulated. In recognition of their efforts, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) have conferred them with Green Awards. The awards were presented by the Chief Minister to five Resident Welfare Associations in the city for their pioneering efforts in waste management, water and energy conservation and greening. The winners Sabari Terrace Sabari Terrace Apartment Owners Association was one of the five victorious RWAs. The residents here have a successful model of waste segregation, composting and rainwater harvesting. Harsha Koda,…

  BBMP plans property tax hike BBMP may hike property tax rates anywhere between 15 to 30 percent this financial year. This plan comes soon after a power tariff hike and a proposed water tariff hike in the city. S P Hemalatha, Chairperson of the BBMP Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, said that the last property tax revision was three years back, in 2016. She said that BBMP was facing a fund deficit of over Rs 1200 crore, and hence they decided to hike property tax which was the Palike's main revenue source. As per the Karnataka Municipal Corporations…