GENRE: Voices

Chennai was one of the first cities in India to get selected under the Smart City Mission. The objective of the ambitious Central Government programme was to promote cities that provide core infrastructure and give a decent quality of life to its citizens; a clean and sustainable environment and application of ‘smart’ solutions. But, the benefits of the programme for Chennai residents have been limited. While projects like the bicycle lanes and vertical gardens were a failure, the multi-level parking scheme remains underutilised. In April this year, when we spoke to a few experts on the Smart City projects implemented…

Chennai generates as much as 6,300 metric tonnes of garbage every day. Of this, 60% of the waste is biodegradable — which means that if we segregate the waste properly at source this 60% could be prevented from going to the landfills and eventually turning into legacy waste. Like any other metro city, Chennai also faces many challenges in the management of solid waste. The first part of this series delved into the challenges that Chennai faces in segregating waste at source. In the second part, Dr J Radhakrishnan, Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, talks to Citizen Matters about various issues…

Throughout the year, vegetable shops and markets are stocked with select vegetables and produce that form our diets. This produce is grown in large scale farms and sold across the country despite geographic and seasonal variations. But 23rd June was an aberration for some of us, who spent time at the Hirvya Devachi Yatra. We got in touch with forest foods that grow in the wild, people who harvest them and make delicacies out of these.  The Hirvya Devachi Yatra was organised this year by the Shramik Mukti Sanghatana, Van Niketan, Ashwamedh Pratisthan and INTACH Thane Chapter. It has been…

In recent years, the resettlement sites in Chennai have become areas of concern due to many infrastructure and safety challenges affecting their residents. People in resettlement sites like Perumbakkam, Semmencherry, Kannagi Nagar, and other places grapple with problems of inadequate water supply, deteriorating housing quality, insufficient police presence, lack of streetlights and so on. In Part 2 of the two-part series on women-led safety audits of resettlement sites, we look at the findings of the recent audits and recommend improvements and policy changes.         Here are some of the key findings of the safety and infrastructure audits in the resettlement…

Safety is a fundamental necessity for all, particularly for women, children, young people, elders, persons with disabilities, gender-diverse groups, and other vulnerable sections of society. This basic need fosters a sense of inclusion and enables active participation in family, community, and societal activities. Enhanced safety promotes mobility, physical and mental wellness, employability and financial independence. It supports autonomy in decision-making, including decisions related to reproductive health. It also encourages increased social engagement and participation in governance. Improved safety in personal, professional, and community spaces works as a catalyst for empowerment and reduces systemic gender disparities. In Part 1 of a…

Sameena Selvam, a first-time Councillor represents Ward 188 of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC). Getting into politics was not easy and she was expecting to navigate the space with the support of her late husband C Selvam. A DMK party worker, Selvam was killed in 2022. “After his death, I continued on his behalf,” she recalls. "Everyone assured me of their support, including the party and the MLA." Madipakkam ward stretches from Ram Nagar to Madipakkam. Once a small village panchayat, Madipakkam is now part of GCC and has become a bustling neighbourhood. This area has grappled with inundation during…

Illegal dumping of garbage, cement, construction debris, and other waste has become rampant all over Chennai, despite existing regulations. Many wetlands and water bodies in and around the city are shrinking due to indiscriminate disposal of waste materials, which harms the local flora and fauna. Blocking canals and wetlands with debris can also result in flooding of nearby areas. I first observed cement residue being dumped into the Buckingham Canal on June 11th this year, and this continued till June 15th. The dumping appears to be originating from various infrastructure development activities, particularly from the construction of apartments on TNHB…

Across India, people have been suffering from extremely high temperatures, with some places experiencing multiple heat waves. The heat stress has been so acute that it has led to several deaths. During such extreme weather events, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues alerts. Advisories are also given out, asking people not to step out during the hottest part of the afternoon. But for many, staying indoors is not an option and as in any calamity, the worst affected are those that have the least protection — many of whom work in the informal sector. Others face equally harsh conditions indoors,…

What does the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) mean to the 23.8 lakh students aspiring to become doctors? "Blood, sweat, tears, repeat" — this is how a second year MBBS student described her years of preparation for the NEET, while studying in classes 11th and 12th. At least a year before that is consumed by anxiety, decision-making, determination and planning for the preparation. And, all this does not include the financial aspect, which amounts to lakhs and sometimes even crores.   Shalmali (name changed) is a second-year MBBS student in the Government Medical College in Dhule. She recounts the long…

April 16, 2024, saw Mumbai reel under a heat wave with a maximum temperature of 39.7 degree celsius at the Santacruz observatory. At 6.3 degrees above normal, this was the highest temperature recorded at Santacruz in ten years. These abnormally hot conditions continued to plague Mumbai with the megapolis experiencing a second heat wave towards the end of April. Neighbouring Thane hit 41.3 degrees during this period. Mumbai was not the exception and it seems like extreme heat has become the norm across the country. Delhi recorded a hazardously high temperature of 52.9 degree Celsius at the end of May…