Civic

Chennai fully vaccinates 15% of eligible population As on July 20th, data shows that Chennai has the highest percentage of vaccinated population in comparison with metro cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Hyderabad. While the eligible population of the city is 59.45 lakh, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has fully vaccinated 15% of it (9.11 lakh). The corporation credits the multipronged initiatives taken by them to reach the number. While people from the tele-counselling centres gave a reminder for people who were due for the second dose, the fever survey workers went door-to-door to reach the vulnerable population. The civic…

Translated by Sandhya Raju கடந்த 6 வருடங்களாக காரப்பாக்கம் பழைய மகாபலிபுரம் சாலையில் உள்ள வைகுண்ட் சுந்தரம் அடுக்குமாடி குடியிருப்பில் வசிக்கிறேன். தண்ணீர் லாரியை நம்பி தான் நாங்கள் உள்ளோம், அதுவும் கோடை காலத்தில் தண்ணீருக்காக நிறைய செலவிழப்போம். அதனால், தண்ணீர் உபயோகத்தை கண்காணிக்கவும், அதை பொறுத்து செலவை பகிரவும், வீணாக்கலை தடுக்கவும் எண்ணினோம். இதற்கான நல்ல நிலையான தீர்வாக நீர் மீட்டர் வழியை கண்டறிந்தோம். நீர் துயரங்கள் நகரம் விரிவாகும் போது, தண்ணீர் போன்ற அடிப்படை வசதிகளுக்கான தேவையும் அதிகரிக்கிறது. இது ஓ.எம்.ஆர் சாலையில் வசிப்பவர்களுக்கு வெகுவாக பொருந்தும். பெரு நகர எல்லைக்கு உட்பட்டிருந்தாலும் குழாய் வழி தண்ணீர் இன்னும் இல்லாத நிலையில், நாங்கள் இன்றும் தண்ணீர் லாரியை நம்பியே உள்ளோம். Read more: Why more Chennaiites should have water meters in their home பருவ காலம் பொறுத்து நீர் வினியோகம் வேறுபடும், மேலும்…

City authorities tell us that over 50% of Delhi’s urban area is regarded as “open” and more than 20% is “green”. Yet, those keeping a keen eye on the city and its development say “we are far from providing universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces”. This is one of the many issues of concern in India’s capital that is sometimes boasted of as being world class — thanks to iconic British era structures, Mogul monuments and the Delhi  Metro — and yet very difficult for the average Delhiite to be comfortable in. Will that change? More importantly,…

60% decline in COVID vaccine supply As per the Center’s CoWIN portal, there has been a 60% decline in the supply of COVID vaccines in July. Several states have complained about shortage in vaccine availability. From June 21st to 27th, 4 crore vaccine doses were administered countrywide. However, the number dropped to 2.3 crore during July 5-11. As per various estimates, if all Indian adults are to be vaccinated by year-end, 86 lakh doses will need to be administered each day. But in the past week, the number came down to 30 to 40 lakh doses a day. At the…

City prepares for the third wave With the third wave of the pandemic being predicted, the civic body has set a target to vaccinate 8 lakh persons with comorbidities.  After holding a meeting with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the civic body has decided to focus on vulnerable population with comorbidities and tuberculosis patients and pregnant mothers. The corporation has collected data about vulnerable residents and would help them get all assistance at the divisional level.  In view of the third wave, the civic body also plans to start increasing ICU beds and other infrastructure. Additionally, in a…

Permanent road closure in south Mumbai The traffic police has announced to "All vehicular traffic plying from Eastern Freeway's down ramp and MbPT Road via Wadala going towards P D'Mello Road as well as all vehicular traffic plying from Wadi Bunder Junction, P D'Mello Road, going towards Wadala via MbPT Road under the Freeway at Orange Gate Junction is permanently closed". The closure comes as a consequence of construction and development that Mumbai Port is undertaking on Marina Bay. In the notification issued on July 8, Pravinkumar Padwal, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) said that to prevent any danger, acting…

BBMP to reduce govt-quota COVID beds BBMP has decided to reduce the number of government-quota COVID beds to about 1,800, due to the decrease in demand. Some of the CCCs (COVID Care Centres) have been closed. However, the civic body is keeping the city's health infrastructure ready for a possible third wave, BBMP Chief Commissioner Gaurav Gupta said. According to BBMP's data, of the 6,446 government quota beds available, over 6,000 were unoccupied as of Thursday. However, the COVID second wave is not over yet, according to sources from the Karnataka’s Technical Advisory Committee. According to them, the next six…

Centre warns tourist cities In the light of the expected third wave of COVID-19, health experts have raised red flags over images images of tourists, flouting all COVID Appropriate Behaviour norms, flocking to Manali and Kempty Falls in Mussoorie. Himachal and Uttarakhand relaxed curbs on movement resulting in cities like Shimla, Mussoorie, Nainital and Haridwar witnessing a surge in tourist influx from nearby states. "Infection has always spread faster in crowded areas," said Dr. V.K. Paul, member, Niti Aayog and the COVID-19 Task Force. "Tourism should be there, but if we are irresponsible and don't follow COVID-appropriate behavior, the virus…

Conservancy workers stage protest, demand regulating their jobs Conservancy workers hired on contract through the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM) organised a demonstration in Ambattur demanding regularisation of their jobs. As their contract is set to end by mid-July, the conservancy workers sought immediate intervention from the state government.  According to the worker’s union, Uzhaippor Urimai Iyakkam (UUI), in an ongoing case, the Madras High Court had ordered the civic body to not discontinue their contract for three months. With the three-month timeframe having already expired, the workers are concerned about their livelihoods as the legal hearing has not taken…

72% COVID patients have new variants About 71.7% of 1,018 patients in the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) and Bengaluru Urban district limits had the latest variants of SARS-CoV-2. Out of the 2,774 samples received for genomic sequencing, 1,738 were processed. This includes 525 patients with the Delta variant, 116 with Kappa, 88 with Alpha, and one with Delta Plus. In all, 730 patients have the new variants. A member of the state genomic surveillance committee said that the BBMP should be acting on the data. Quick tracing is crucial. It is important to check if patients with the Delta…