Environment

A little known fact about Chennai that came to light through a 9th Century relic found in Ambur was that present day Adyar and adjoining Adyar estuary areas were once known as Amaiyur (amai meaning turtle in Tamil). In fact, the Besant Nagar beach is especially known as a nestling area* for the Panguni Aamai i.e the Olive Ridley turtle.  Currently the turtle species is deemed endangered. Chennaiites hardly get to see these turtles on the beach as they used to in the past. Human activity such as urbanisation and commercialisation of the beach has reduced the sandy regions near the…

Taufiq, an electrician in Shivaji Nagar, sits in his shop surrounded by wall-mounted fans. Despite other shops like his in the area, he gets at least 2-3 fans for repairs daily. As Mumbai is headed into summer with temperatures touching 40 degrees Celsius in March, it’s no secret why Taufiq gets business everyday. The general ceiling fans, he says, are not cutting it anymore. “Most people here don’t have ACs or coolers, so they look for a fan that is fast,” explains Taufiq, showing me a fan unlike any other in the market. “We assemble this here. The motor comes…

Rekha, a fruit vendor in Kandivali east, has been selling fruits in the area for over 6 years now. Parked under a large umbrella that offers shade from the sun, she awaits customers. "The heat this year has been the worst in a long time, and it is only April. It will get worse," she exclaims, adding that the recent heatwave in the city has also affected her business since customers don't come out much and her fruits get spoiled in the scorching heat during the day. Rekha is also one of the many street vendors in Mumbai who conduct…

In 2020, a nationwide study, State of India's Birds, found that Maharashtra's bird population had reduced by 85% due to developmental projects that were affecting wetlands and openlands. Sunjoy Monga, a naturalist, suggested that openlands - that include grasslands and scrublands - are wrongly categorised as wastelands by the State. Concrete buildings and entertainment zones are built over them, directly influencing biodiversity in the area.  "The same trend applies to wetlands, which are highly susceptible to the activities of the land mafia, builders, lobbies and encroachers in general," he was quoted as telling The Times of India. Sunjoy has been organising an annual Bird…

The time it takes to cut a tree is insignificant when compared to the time it takes to grow a tree. The cost, however, is disproportionate. Years of generating oxygen, cooling the atmosphere, providing a home to birds and insects, reducing pollution and flooding is lost in a matter of a few hours. There is a lot at stake with each tree. The Maharashtra (Urban Areas) Protection and Preservation of Trees Act, 1975, understands this, providing strict guidelines for the trimming or cutting of trees in urban areas of the state, like Mumbai. Only the Tree Authority - a body…

In November 2021, scores of Chennai residents came together for a cause dubbed the Umbrella Rally. They marched in numbers, urging the authorities to take stock of climate change and the impact it is set to have on the most vulnerable. The recently released report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) lists Chennai as one of the global cities at risk due to climate change. With Chennai experiencing extremes in the form of drought and flooding in recent years, it is crucial to assess and mitigate the impact that the city will face due to climate change.  Protecting…

Chennai has seen catastrophic floods that have inundated the city over the past few years. The city is also grappling with increasing temperatures in the summer months. With each passing year, the impact of climate change only seems to get more pronounced and ominous for the city. And a recent report from the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) has predicted what exactly the city could face on the climate front over the next approximately 30 years. CSTEP, of course, is not the only one. Warning bells have been sounded by various reports that predict rise in temperatures…

On March 21st, Citizen Matters hosted a tweet chat to discuss the recently launched Mumbai Climate Plan (MCAP) with Lubaina Rangawala, Tanmay Takle and Saurabh Punamiya. After its inception in 2021, the MCAP was opened up to suggestions and criticisms from citizens, environmental experts and other stakeholders. This creates an opportunity for the city to work with the government towards an effective climate policy, as we stand at a critical juncture in Mumbai’s climate history. The tweet chat addressed points from the Plan to understand whether the Mumbai government is truly prepared for the climate crisis, and where the city…

A few not at all fun snippets from the discussion. “99% of the earth’s resources are consumed by 1% of the world’s population, with the remaining 1% resources being fought over by 99% of the population”.Bengaluru's urban cover increased 350% over a 25-year period between 1992-2017, whereas its green areas shrunk from 17% to less than 6%’.The WHO recommends at least 9 square metres of green space per capita, in Bengaluru, it is only 2 two square metres per capita. Citizen Matters and Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, in collaboration with the Bangalore International Centre (BIC), held a panel discussion…

Chennai saw unprecedented flooding the past year during the monsoon. Many streets were water-logged for days and residents marooned until the water receded. Analysis of the various reasons behind inundation in different parts of the city pointed to poor stormwater drain networking, poor construction of drains and loss of water bodies such as ponds and lakes to encroachment.  In addition to issues of flooding, loss of water bodies also leads to the loss of ecosystems that are supported by it. This is surely a cause for alarm in Chennai. The story of one such water body, a pond in Kolathur,…