GENRE: LN

Youth Speak Summit 2018, a collaborative initiative of the U.S. Consulate General, Chennai and NalandaWay Foundation, is a two-day conference that will bring together young people from various spheres in one platform to learn, share, and inspire change. The summit will take place December 1-2, 2018 at the Madras Management Association Centre, Anna Salai, Chennai. The summit will comprise curated talks, panel discussions, workshops, contests, and art by some of the most inspiring minds in the country. The sessions will include talks by youth icons, discussions on issues, storytelling by young change-makers, clinics for counseling, panel discussions, human library, workshops, skill sharing sessions, and much…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities Chennai’s air pollution scene has progressed from moderate to poor, but despite the alarming data from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and private agencies, the focus on dust pollution, that has a strong connection with poor air quality, takes a back seat in the city.  According to a study conducted by Urban Emissions, dust contributes to 23% of the PM2.5 levels (particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometres or less) in Chennai. The study was conducted to represent the mix of pollutants in Chennai’s air, using…

Can you drop an egg three storeys down without breaking it? Eager young children from schools across the Chennai grappled with this challenge as part of a science camp where they were provided a simple kit with which they could use the elements present to prevent the egg from breaking. Twelve-year old Aniket Tadepalli fashioned a contraption out of cardboard that managed to keep the egg intact. “The egg drop challenge is one of the many activities that we have done as part of camps. It was very exciting because we were not provided any instructions. We had to figure…

Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) has released its 2017-18 annual report online last week in its entirety. The report details BMRCL's efforts to keep up the pace of construction and other issues. Six new stretches of the Metro cover 72 km and 61 stations. Two extensions of the already existing purple line on the west and east sides, two extensions of the already operational green line on the north and south sides, and establishment of the new Yellow Line and Red Line form six stretches totally. While the civil contracts have been awarded for all the depots costing Rs…

Let us make it quite clear at the outset – we are delighted that the city has a metro rail service in operation, albeit a mere fraction of what ought to have been running by now. Those who use the facility profess to be quite happy with it – it saves time, the stations are clean and Chennai Metro Rail Limited has also organised some kind of last-mile connectivity by pressing into service local auto-rickshaws and taxicabs. But what is of worry, apart from the high fares, is the shoddy workmanship of the stations and the numerous technical glitches that…

State to fund PRR land acquisition, Cabinet discusses pending issues Several issues awaiting the cabinet's approval were finally addressed in a meeting presided over by the Chief Minister on November 19. Minister for Rural Development, Law and Parliamentary affairs, Krishna Byre Gowda, briefed the media on the important decisions taken. Among them was the nod given to execute the Peripheral Ring Road project at a cost of Rs 17,000 crore. Toll fee collection will be a revenue stream for this project. Since there were no agencies ready to fund the land acquisition due to controversies surrounding compensation to farmers, the state…

தமிழ் மொழி மற்றும் இலக்கியத்தில் ஆர்வம் கொண்டுள்ள ஒத்த பார்வையுள்ள சிந்தனையாளர்கள் ஒன்று கூடிய ‘மன்றம்’ நிகழ்ச்சி நவம்பர் மாதம் 17ஆம் நாள் இந்தியன் இன்ஸ்டிட்யூட் ஆப் டெக்னாலஜி ஆராய்ச்சி பூங்கா அரங்கத்தில் நடைபெற்றது. இதில் கலந்துகொண்டு உரையாற்றிய ஆறு பேச்சாளர்கள் அவர்களின்  வேறுபட்ட அனுபவங்களை பகிர்ந்து கொண்டனர். பல்வேறு துறைகளில் உள்ள, பல வயதினை கொண்ட பார்வையாளர்கள் இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியை கண்டு மகிழவும், உரையாடலில் பங்கு கொள்ளவும் ஆர்வத்துடன் வருகை தந்திருந்தனர். நிகழ்ச்சியில் உரையாட ஆறு பேச்சாளர்கள் வெவ்வேறு தலைப்புகளை தேர்ந்தெடுத்திருந்தனர். கணினி நுண்ணறிவு, இந்திய சட்ட சாசனம், மரங்களின் மகிமை, ஆட்டிஸத்தால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட குழந்தைகள் வெளிப்படுத்தும் திறன்கள் போன்ற தலைப்புகளில் அறிவுபூர்வமான, ஆர்வம் தூண்டும் வகையில் பங்குகொண்டோர் பேச, சீராக நடைபெற்றது மன்றத்தின் மூன்றாவது நிகழ்ச்சி. ஜோஹோ நிறுவனத்தின் சிந்தனையாளர் ராஜேந்திரன் தண்டபாணி கண்ணி நுண்ணறிவின் வளர்ச்சியையும், அதனின் எதிர்காலத்தைப் பற்றியும் விவரித்தார். உலக சதுரங்க சேம்பியன்களை தோக்கடிப்பதிலிருந்து,…

As the world is coming together to combat plastic pollution, there is still so much to be done to even be aware and acknowledge the impact of some products that have become an indispensable part of our lives. For example, we are yet to wake up to the eco-disaster of the disposable sanitary pads, while start-ups and NGOs are finding it hard to make an impact with alternatives. To create awareness on sustainable menstruation, Goli Soda, an upscale store in Chennai selling recycled and upcycled products hosted a panel to talk about the impact of waste created by conventional sanitary napkins…

The wheels of a bus belonging to Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) came off and the bus hit the ground with a thud. There were no casualties, but the passengers said they would have plunged into the Vrishabhavathi drain if the wheels had fallen off instead on the other side of the road. The incident took place in 2017 on a bus route from Kengeri to K.R.Market, where a wheel came off and the bus hit the front part of the ground. This isn't the only example - BMTC buses have been in the past known for lack of proper…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities Our earlier article in the series traced the long history of the battle between Whitefield residents and the Graphite India plant, the polluting operations of which had become a serious hazard in the area. Interestingly, the role of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) itself came under the scanner as the tussle with GIL continued. When the matter finally reached the top court, the KSPCB drew flak from the SC on the matter of GIL’s air pollution, especially in view of the overall pollution in Bangalore.…