Civic

Tulip Brian Miranda, a Corporator of Mumbai’s H-East ward's Kalina area, has been running a community kitchen since the enforcement of the lockdown. Every day, she distributes 1,000 food packets to needy families. But when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government decided to initiate food distribution, Miranda wasn’t consulted about the diversity of her ward. “I was simply asked to inform them what my requirements were,” says Miranda, a member of Indian National Congress party.   As the local area representatives, Corporators are imagined to be a citizen’s first point of redressal over an inaccessible MLA or…

COVID-19: Dip in number of cases, results to be sent via SMS Chennai recorded 1,026 fresh COVID-19 cases on July 31st. There were 1,026 recoveries and 21 deaths. Among the frontline workers, 35 workers in the civic body and Chennai district collector R Seethalakshmi have tested positive. Infographic summary of COVID-19 cases in Chennai. PIc: GCC/Twitter In a bid to speed up the process of declaring COVID test results, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) plans to send the results through SMS. Presently, the field volunteers convey the positive results to the patients and a list is also issued by ward-level…

‘Social distancing’, a phrase that was alien to a majority of us has now become one of the key weapons in our battle against the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Along with masking, limiting contact with others by ensuring a metre's distance between individuals is one of the recommendations that has been widely acknowledged as a measure that could help contain the spread. Cities across the world went into extended lockdowns to prevent the spread of the virus. Halting of public transport, closure of shops, movie halls, malls, bars, restaurants and other establishments took place in most cities.  But while crucial to…

NEP: Debate on medium of instruction The new National Education Policy (NEP) has revived the debate on whether Kannada should be the medium of instruction in primary classes. NEP recommends that the medium of instruction be in local/regional language. School managements point out that the NEP goes against the apex court’s verdict that imposition of mother tongue as the medium of instruction is “unconstitutional”. In the 2019-20 academic year, Karnataka government too had started English-medium sections in government schools. . Meanwhile, sources from the Kannada Development Authority said the state language should be made mandatory since there are various local…

India crosses 1.5 crore testing mark; reaches 11,485 Tests Per Million The nation created a record on July 25 2020 by conducting the maximum number of COVID-19 tests - 4,20,000 - over the preceding 24 hours. The government in its press release shared that the total tests in India now stand at 1,58,49,068. With increasing tests, the Tests Per Million number has now reached 11,485. At present, a network of 1301 labs (902 government and 399 private labs) is making it possible for India to conduct these tests. The government also emphasized the fact that testing capacities in the country…

In a press meet held on July 8th, TN CM Edappadi K. Palaniswami hinted that a further extension of the lockdown which is set to end at the end of the month is unlikely. The chief minister said, “Extending lockdown will cause economic slowdown thereby putting onus on the public to adhere to safety norms to prevent the spread of COVID-19.” He further emphasised the need for self-regulation among the general public even as the state continued to clock a high number of cases daily.  The fact however is that the premise of self-regulation by the public assumes that all…

COVID-19: Covaxin administered to two volunteers in city; vendors to be tested on a regular basis Chennai recorded 1,299 fresh COVID-19 cases on July 24th. There were 1,110 recoveries and 22 deaths.  Infographic summary of COVID-19 cases in Chennai as on July 25. Pic: GCC/Twitter Phase-I human trial of the indigenously developed vaccine for COVID-19 - Covaxin - began at SRM Medical College and Hospital in Chennai last week. The hospital is one of the 12 institutions authorised to carry out the trial. The vaccine was administered to two volunteers. Phase -1 trial would analyse the safety of the vaccine…

Over 33,000 trees to be felled for PRR The BDA (Bangalore Development Authority) admits that the construction of the eight-lane PRR (Peripheral Ring Road) would require the felling of 33,838 trees. For about four years, BDA had argued that only 200 trees would be cut, based on an erroneous Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report. The NGT (National Green Tribunal) rejected the report based on a submission by the Horticulture and Forest Department. Meanwhile, an EIA draft report estimates that 3,541 trees will be affected by the metro link between KR Puram and Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The report says that…

Dharavi, often termed Asia's largest slum cluster occupies 525 acres of prime land in the heard of Mumbai. Photo: YUVA When you walk the streets of Dharavi today, it’s hard to imagine that its crooked but solid houses, informal but sophisticated business networks and heterogenous but distinct culture have been built over the remnants of a Koli fishing village. At the end of the nineteenth century, when industries like leather, waste-recycling, etc. were deemed too hazardous for colonial South Bombay, the peri-urban, swamp land which was home to the Koli fishing community became the saving grace for the displaced industries.…

Manjunath Prasad has been appointed as BBMP Commissioner. Pic Credit: KPLCL Manjunath Prasad back as BBMP Commissioner On Saturday, state government removed B H Anil Kumar from the post of BBMP Commissioner, and appointed N Manjunath Prasad instead. Manjunath Prasad has served as BBMP Commissioner previously. He has proposed divisional management of COVID-19 instead of the current practice of zonal management. As per the plan, a KAS official would be in charge of each of the 27 divisions in the city, with control rooms and adequate resources. They would also be tasked with ramping up ambulances and manpower. Source: The…