Civic

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities Chennai’s air pollution scene has progressed from moderate to poor, but despite the alarming data from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and private agencies, the focus on dust pollution, that has a strong connection with poor air quality, takes a back seat in the city.  According to a study conducted by Urban Emissions, dust contributes to 23% of the PM2.5 levels (particles with diameters of 2.5 micrometres or less) in Chennai. The study was conducted to represent the mix of pollutants in Chennai’s air, using…

Let us make it quite clear at the outset – we are delighted that the city has a metro rail service in operation, albeit a mere fraction of what ought to have been running by now. Those who use the facility profess to be quite happy with it – it saves time, the stations are clean and Chennai Metro Rail Limited has also organised some kind of last-mile connectivity by pressing into service local auto-rickshaws and taxicabs. But what is of worry, apart from the high fares, is the shoddy workmanship of the stations and the numerous technical glitches that…

It is called ‘Srinagar’s jewel’ or ‘jewel in the crown of Kashmir’ -- the Dal Lake, immortalised by literature as much as by countless popular movies and tourist chronicles. Sadly, today it has become a victim of political, social and economic neglect. Over the last thirty years, the lake has been deteriorating at a rapid rate. According to a reply submitted by the state government to the J&K High Court on September 18,  Rs 759 crores of rupees have been spent on the lake since the year 2002, but the plight of the lake continues to become poorer by the…

Rain brings relief, but not enough to combat water crisis The intermittent showers in the city since early this week, brought on by low pressure over the Bay of Bengal, came as relief for the water-starved city, but wasn't enough to tide over the situation. The overnight rains around the city reservoirs brought only minimal water flow into the reservoirs, which will meet only four days of supply to the city. Officials of the Water Resources Department said the combined storage of the reservoirs stood at 1,697 million cubic feet (mcft) against the capacity of 11,257 mcft on Thursday (November 22nd)…

Kolkata beats Delhi in pollution The past week saw Kolkata pip Delhi in air pollution with its Air Quality Index (AQI) readings on November 17 at a staggering 330 compared to Delhi’s 283. The monitor at Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) consistently clocked readings over 300. The increasing usage of diesel-powered vehicles is a reason for the high levels of pollution with close to 99% of commercial vehicles using diesel. This is bucking the national trend where diesel vehicles are on the decline. PM 2.5 is the most prominent pollutant in Kolkata according to a recent study by the Centre for…

In April 2017, two RTI activists sought to know building rules from the Pallavaram Municipality, after a Reliance Fresh outlet was opened in the ground floor of an apartment complex. Stating that the outlet is an illegality, the Public Information Officer (PIO) said the building rules imply the ground floor be dedicated for parking.  Soon after receiving this complaint, the activists started to receive threatening calls, naturally causing them to place suspicion on the PIO. At this point, they lodged a complaint with the Tamil Nadu State Information Commission (TNSIC), the independent body that is mandated to conduct an inquiry…

தமிழ் மொழி மற்றும் இலக்கியத்தில் ஆர்வம் கொண்டுள்ள ஒத்த பார்வையுள்ள சிந்தனையாளர்கள் ஒன்று கூடிய ‘மன்றம்’ நிகழ்ச்சி நவம்பர் மாதம் 17ஆம் நாள் இந்தியன் இன்ஸ்டிட்யூட் ஆப் டெக்னாலஜி ஆராய்ச்சி பூங்கா அரங்கத்தில் நடைபெற்றது. இதில் கலந்துகொண்டு உரையாற்றிய ஆறு பேச்சாளர்கள் அவர்களின்  வேறுபட்ட அனுபவங்களை பகிர்ந்து கொண்டனர். பல்வேறு துறைகளில் உள்ள, பல வயதினை கொண்ட பார்வையாளர்கள் இந்த நிகழ்ச்சியை கண்டு மகிழவும், உரையாடலில் பங்கு கொள்ளவும் ஆர்வத்துடன் வருகை தந்திருந்தனர். நிகழ்ச்சியில் உரையாட ஆறு பேச்சாளர்கள் வெவ்வேறு தலைப்புகளை தேர்ந்தெடுத்திருந்தனர். கணினி நுண்ணறிவு, இந்திய சட்ட சாசனம், மரங்களின் மகிமை, ஆட்டிஸத்தால் பாதிக்கப்பட்ட குழந்தைகள் வெளிப்படுத்தும் திறன்கள் போன்ற தலைப்புகளில் அறிவுபூர்வமான, ஆர்வம் தூண்டும் வகையில் பங்குகொண்டோர் பேச, சீராக நடைபெற்றது மன்றத்தின் மூன்றாவது நிகழ்ச்சி. ஜோஹோ நிறுவனத்தின் சிந்தனையாளர் ராஜேந்திரன் தண்டபாணி கண்ணி நுண்ணறிவின் வளர்ச்சியையும், அதனின் எதிர்காலத்தைப் பற்றியும் விவரித்தார். உலக சதுரங்க சேம்பியன்களை தோக்கடிப்பதிலிருந்து,…

This article is part of a special series: Air Quality in our Cities The mood in Whitefield and adjoining areas of Bangalore has been upbeat of late. The citizen’s group from the area created history on October 29th by getting a Supreme Court (SC) order which, for the first time, pulled up Graphite India limited (GIL) operating a plant in the area, as a serious offender contributing to air pollution by imposing a fine of INR 50 lakh based on the “polluter pays principle.” “We are very happy; we entered the SC as intervention petitioners challenging Graphite India Limited (GIL)…

Mumbai faces 10% water cuts A drop in water stock by 16% from November last year has seen Mumbai face water cuts to the tune of 10%. The seven lakes that supply water to the city have seen a drop in the water stock this year leading to decreased water supply. As on November 11th, data from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shows the seven lakes to be 76% full, with 11,11,385 million litres of water. The stock is expected to last 292 days. A reduction in rainfall in August and September is seen as the cause behind the decreased…

Gaja spares Chennai with mild showers Cyclone Gaja passed between Nagapattinam and Vedharanyam in Tamil Nadu, crossing six districts in its entire cycle. Uprooting several trees with wind gusting at a speed of up to 120 kmph, Gaja crossed in the early hours on Friday casting a heavy spell in the surrounding areas, leaving over 25 dead. Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday announced a grant of ₹10 lakh each for the families of those who lost their lives, ₹1 lakh for the severely injured and ₹25,000 for those with minor injuries. Earlier this week, Gaja was at…