Greater Chennai Corporation

With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdowns, schools in Chennai run by the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) saw record high enrolment of new students. Across the 281 schools run by the civic body in the city, the total number of students increased from 90,394 in 2020-21 to 1,13,793 in 2021-2022, a 10-year high in enrolment. Many of these students moved from private schools to GCC-run schools in the middle of the pandemic. Loss of jobs for parents during the lockdown, the government declaring 'all pass' for all class students, and private schools demanding the same fee even for…

A collective of people's movements and citizens have been working to strengthen local governance in Tamil Nadu. Voice of People, a non-partisan, voluntary organisation based in Chennai, is part of the collective looking to unlock participatory democracy in local governance through functional Area Sabhas and Ward Committees. The above demand can become a reality in Tamil Nadu through the implementation of the Tamil Nadu Municipal (Amendments) Act 2010 (ACT No. 35). As a remarkable step forward in the way of urban local governance in Tamil Nadu, the State Government notified the Rules of the said Act on June 24 2022,…

With Chennai's many roads being dug up for various civic works, it becomes crucial for the several agencies carrying out such tasks to coordinate better. A look at some streets in Perambur lays bare the problems faced by residents when civic agencies do not bridge the gap in communication or carry out shoddy and unscientific work. Problems in Rajabhathar street Rajabhathar Street in Ward 71, Zone 6, Perambur was once a model street in our neighbourhood and had drawn the attention of the then state government and won several awards. Now, however, one can often see sewage overflowing onto the…

The Tamil Nadu government increased property tax for all local bodies in the state earlier this April. This means that the residents of Chennai's core areas would have to pay at least 50% more than what they have been paying for over two decades. The Greater Chennai Corporation has as many as 13 lakh property tax assesses with an annual demand of Rs 800 crore. The revision came into effect from April 1, 2022 with an aim to increase the civic body's revenue generation capacity, which plays a critical role in providing better services and improving infrastructure. Here is an…

In the past few months, the Tamil Nadu Government has taken certain steps to create platforms for democratic participation in an urban setting. These include the formation of Area Sabhas and Ward Committees. They had been envisioned to function similar to Gram Sabhas, a constitutionally approved platform that exists in rural parts of our country, where people come together and deliberate on developmental issues. They also pass resolutions to achieve their developmental needs. Every village panchayat performs various functions as well as conducts social audits which are then approved by the Gram Sabha to ensure transparency and accountability. Area Sabhas…

“We don’t want to do this but it's not like we have a choice”, said Kannika* on having to use the playground near her home to relieve herself due to the lack of proper sanitation facilities in the vicinity in Doomingkuppam.  This is the reality for many who reside in the area despite having lived in the city for decades. The many rows of huts that dot the area opposite the scenic beach do not have proper toilets, forcing residents to defecate in the open. Doomingkuppam residents await toilets Doomingkuppam is home to many from the fishing community, with their…

COVID-19 has changed the landscape of many public services and establishments over the past few years. Chennai's many public libraries were also among those institutions that have been affected by these changes. However, with the return of readers, there are some promising signs. Even as many libraries continue to suffer infrastructural neglect, determined staff and loyal patrons have kept the city's reading culture afloat even in the face of new challenges. There seems to be a sustained culture of visiting libraries in the city despite roadblocks. Pic: Aruna Natrajan Public libraries after COVID-19 hit In March 2020, when the first…

Koyambedu wholesale market has been a one-stop centre for perishable goods for many residents and retail traders across the city for nearly 25 years now. However, waste management in the market campus remains to be himalayan task despite changing times. “We come all the way from OMR road to buy the vegetables and fruits needed for a week. One major issue we have been witnessing is walking through the pathways in the market. Most of the time, the pathways are filled with waste from fresh vegetables and it becomes hard to navigate through the pathways during crowded times. At times…

Four metro water wokers die due to asphyxiation Four contract workers of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) have died in two different incidents over the past week, allegedly due to asphyxiation while cleaning septic tanks. On Tuesday, two workers, Nelson and Ravikumar who were involved in cleaning a septic tank in Madhavaram asphyxiated while at work. While Nelson was declared dead on arrival, Ravikumar died on Thursday without responding to the treatment. Meanwhile, two other workers, identified as D Dhakshinamurthy, 38, and P Periasamy, 38, of Pallikaranai died allegedly of asphyxiation while cleaning a septic tank located…

Waste management had long been a puzzle that Chennai failed to crack as the city grew over the past few decades. As the city made strides toward decentralised waste management, there was hope that this might prove to be the step that improves the situation. However, over a year after the new system was put in place, there are questions about the efficacy of its working. One of the two key components of decentralistion is wet waste composting which takes place through dedicated micro composting centres (MCCs). Citizen Matters zoomed in on how wet waste is treated in the city…