Civic

Cyclone Fani unlikely to bring heavy rains to Chennai The depression in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm that is about 880 kms from Chennai according to the IMD.  Named Cyclone Fani, it is expected to make landfall in Odisha, bypassing Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. The IMD forecast squally winds with speeds over 50-60  kmph between April 27 and 30 in the regions along the east coast, with fishermen warned not to venture into the seas which are expected to be rough. Though Cyclone Fani might bring little respite from the heat, it may…

Namma Bengaluru Awards Trust hosted its flagship event – ‘The 10th Edition of Namma Bengaluru Awards’ (NBA) in Bengaluru today. The awards, which aim to honour the ‘real heroes’ of Bengaluru, recognised six extraordinary Bengalureans for their exemplary contribution towards making the city a better place. Namma Bengaluru Awards was launched in 2009, by the initiative of MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar. In this award system, the citizens of Bengaluru themselves identify and nominate their heroes. Following nominations, an eminent jury of Bengalureans shortlist candidates after a series of meetings, which include interviews of nominated individuals, before deciding the final recipient of…

Residents of Shenoy Nagar, especially those who live in the lanes around Thiru Vi Ka Park, all speak fondly of the time the park truly belonged to the people. They remember walking in the park as children, hosting events that were enjoyed by the community and taking refuge from the harsh Chennai sun in the cool shade of its many trees. But all this changed with the arrival of the Koyambedu-Shenoy Nagar-Nehru Park metro station. The park that was closed to residents in 2011 remains so after all these years, leaving only a yearning for the past and a fight…

‘People have the power’, American singer-songwriter Patti Smith wrote in 1988. It was one of the most powerful rock songs of all times. I think she could not have been more right. People indeed ‘have the power’, sometimes more than they realise, to change things around them and voice their opinion. These are just a few small ways in which you can bring about change. Stop blaming, start acting Those of you, who blamed the government for your city’s or neighbourhood’s problems, raise your hands. Just as I had thought, all of us, at least once in our lives, have…

S&S Sarvam, a gated community on 200 Feet Radial Road, Pallikaranai, has gone on a green drive by segregating waste, composting and generating manure. In addition, in what is a first for a high-rise building, the apartment complex has installed 10kW solar panels on the rooftop (14th floor) and has been tapping solar energy since September 2018. Waste management overhaul The residents of the apartment, which has a total of 203 flats, not only segregate waste at source but also do composting and generate several kilograms of manure.   “It all started last year when we first launched an awareness…

Hop, skip, jump or dance—follow any of these strategies and you may be able to navigate across Bengaluru’s footpaths! The Constitution of India guarantees its citizens the right to move freely throughout the territory of India. However, in cities like ours, enjoying that right seems to require a motor vehicle! As a pedestrian, you may be knocked down as soon as you start your journey. The National Urban Transport Policy, formulated in 2014, calls for “universal accessibility” and transport services for all including children, the aged and disabled. It goes on to say, “Walking is a zero-emission mode of transport…

  Voter turnout reduced  Compared to the 2014 Lok Sabha election, voter turnout has dipped in all four Bengaluru constituencies, as per figures released by the Election Commission at 9 pm on Thursday. Of the three urban constituencies, Bangalore South's turnout was the highest, at 54.2 percent. However, this turnout was 1.55 percent lower than that in the 2014 election. Turnout was the lowest in Bangalore Central, at just 50.84 percent. This was 5.27 percent lower than that in 2014. As usual, the voter turnout in Bangalore Rural was higher than that in the urban constituencies. The turnout here was…

Chennai records lowest polling percentage in the state Despite several campaigns by the election commission to encourage voting, Chennai has witnessed a decline in the poll percentage in this Lok Sabha elections. With an overall voter turnout of 59.01 per cent, the three Lok Sabha constituencies in Chennai recorded some of the poorest stats in Tamilnadu. Despite brisk polling, constituencies in Chennai had a low poll percentage, the lowest in the entire State: Chennai North, 63.47%, Chennai South, 56.34% and Chennai Central, 58.69%. According to the official stats released by the Election Commission, the average polling percentage across 38 parliamentary…

The disastrous floods of 2015 and the Ennore oil spill stand out in the list. In addition, the city’s air and water have become more polluted than ever before.The city’s garbage has continued to remain a threat to the environment and health of the people living in the city. Through Amirtharaj Stephen’s lens, a look at Chennai’s environment over the last five years. Since the 2014 national elections, the capital city of Tamil Nadu has witnessed major environmental calamities, from the disastrous floods of December 2015 to the giant oil spill outside Kamarajar Port at Ennore in early 2017. Apart…

The National Coalition for Inclusive and Sustainable Urbanization, comprised of a group of people across different parts of the country, is involved in exploring questions pertaining to the city and whom the urban is meant for. The Coalition has recently put out a charter, endorsed by 150+ organizations and 2 lakh signatories across 40 cities, that lays out a number of steps that can be taken to make development in cities more inclusive and sustainable, keeping the real ‘Citymakers’ - urban poor and worker groups - and their rights at the centre of discourse and action. Right to Housing and…