Civic

As an active citizen who has been filing complaints on the state of various civic infrastructure in the city, I find the prolonged inaction on some of the problems raised deeply concerning. I would like to detail three such instances where the apathy of the authorities and the public has come to the fore. Patchwork roads Thiruvengadam Lane in Ward 70 was resurfaced with concrete for the second time in the year 2016. I had filed a petition with the Greater Chennai City Corporation in January 2018 seeking their help in repairing the damage caused to the surface of the streets.…

 “The bulk of our business is being conducted through WhatsApp as we can only allow a limited number of people in the store,” says Ankit Katariya, a wholesale saree dealer whose store, Katariya Tradelink, is located in Bhavani Peth, one of Pune’s COVID-19 hotspots. Currently, Pune has the highest number of positive cases and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has put in place restrictions in the city’s old, congested neighbourhoods. These neighbourhoods -- – Bhavani Peth, Budhwar Peth, Ganesh Peth, Raviwar Peth and Gurwar Peth – are also the hub of the city’s wholesale businesses. Each Peth is known for…

Sanctions from the Centre for the ORR-Airport Metro line is expected to take longer. Representational image: Ramnath Bhat (Wikimedia Commons) Vrishabhavathi river turns frothy dark yellow Vrishabhavathi River has changed its colour from black to turquoise blue to dark yellow with froth, over the past month. Things had worsened last week, when the water turned soapy like caustic soda. On Thursday morning, a pungent smell filled the air as the river turned yellow. Namami Vrishabhavathi, a citizens' group, brought the matter to the notice of the State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). Residents suspect that electroplating and textile-dyeing industries have been…

Translated by Sandhya Raju சென்னையில் செயல்படும் வீட்டு வேலைக்கு ஆட்களை அனுப்பும் ஒரு நிறுவனத்திடம் ₹4500 செலுத்தியுள்ளார் வெட்டுவாங்கனியை சேர்ந்த அஷோக் ராஜ். பணம் செலுத்திய பிறகும், ஆள் வராததால் தொடர்ந்து நிறுவனத்தைஅழைத்தும் பலனில்லாததால், தான் ஏமாற்றப்பட்டுள்ளதை உணர்ந்தார். இதே போல் பல ஏமாற்று வேலையில் இந்நிறுவனம் ஈடுபட்டு வந்ததை அறிந்த அஷோக், தன்னைப் போல் ஏமாற்றப்பட்ட பிறரை தொடர்பு கொண்டார். அனைவரும் ஒன்றிணைந்து, அந்நிறுவனத்தின் மேல் மோசடி / மோசடி குற்றச்சாட்டுகளின் கீழ், ஜே8 நீலாங்கரை காவல் நிலையத்தில் புகார் அளித்தனர். இது ஒரு "கடுமையான குற்றம்" என்று கருத முடியாது என்பதால் புகாரை பதிவு செய்ய அதிகாரிகள் முதலில் தயங்கினர். இதனை தொடர்ந்து அடையாறு துணை காவல் ஆணையரிடம் அஷோக் புகார் அளித்தார். Justdial.com நிறுவனத்தில் பதிவு செய்திருந்த குற்றம் புரிந்த அந்நிறுவனத்தை துணை காவல் ஆணையரின் வழிக்காட்டுதலின் படி, கைது செய்தனர் நீலாங்கரை காவல் துறையினர்.…

COVID: Second serosurvey to be done by September end | 12 doctors from Chennai succumb to COVID | GCC steps up surveillance in 13,000 streets The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) announced that the second serosurvey will be conducted by the end of September. This time, the T-cells of recovered COVID-19 patients will be analysed for academic research. The T-cells and antibodies have a huge role in immune response in patients affected by the virus. GCC Commissioner Prakash expects the seroprevalence in the second survey to be around 40%. The first survey saw a seroprevalence of 20%. According to the bulletin, Chennai…

33% Delhiites develop antibodies as per new sero survey On September 17th, Delhi government shared the results of the third serological survey that was conducted in all the 11 districts of the national capital. Around 17000 samples were collected for the survey. Based on the results, it was found that 33% of Delhiites have developed antibodies for the COVID-19 infection. The government is claiming it to be the highest sero prevalence noted since the outbreak. As per the new guidelines, the administration has aimed to test each person living inside the containment zone within five days of the zone being…

As the city celebrated Madras Week this month, the results of the Swachh Survekshan survey – an initiative under Swachh Bharat to monitor cleanliness in different cities and towns in India – were released as well. It seems to be a mixed bag for Chennai. While our city has jumped up the rankings from the 61st place last year to the 45th this year, it also achieved the dubious distinction of being tagged the third dirtiest city in the category of those with a population of more than 1 million, with only Patna and East Delhi below it. Authorities unhappy…

As a migrant resident of Bengaluru, I find that many policies of this city, which are not always acknowledged enough by its citizens, have made life easier and better than in other metros. As a responsible citizen, I believe, while holding the government accountable for its shortcomings, it is also equally important to credit them for the good and the positive. Here, I mention a few policies and trends in Bangalore that I have personally appreciated. I strongly feel that if cities such as Chennai adopted similar policies, it would help to make them more citizen-friendly. Citizen–prioritised approach to public…

Cities struggle to manage COVID-19 cases, as the second wave of infection sets in After a decline in new cases in the month of August, Mumbai is experiencing a second wave of infection. Mumbai registered a total of 30,474 cases in the entire August and it has already witnessed 15,227 cases in the first nine days of September. Pune stands as the most infected district in Maharashtra with 2,23,710 cases followed by Mumbai with 1,65,306 and Thane with 1,52,934. Similarly, Delhi broke all its past records of the highest single-day spike on September 9th when it registered 4,039 cases taking…

BBMP Council's term ends, administrator appointed On Thursday, state government appointed IAS officer Gaurav Gupta as the administrator of BBMP, since the five-year term of the BBMP Council ended. Gaurav Gupta is the Principal Secretary of Commerce and Industries Department, and has taken additional charge as BBMP administrator. He will take decisions related to the city until the new Council is formed. Former corporators alleged that the administrator's appointment was a clear sign that the government wanted to avoid the election, and that it's a violation of the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act. State government had cited the pandemic as well…