Governance

An old-time resident of Perambur, 71-year-old K S Krishnan would never have imagined that he would be duped and robbed in his neighbourhood in broad daylight. A few weeks ago, Krishnan, a retired Central government employee, went to a temple in Thiruvanmiyur and was getting back home. When he got down from the bus and went to a nearby shop, a person claiming to be a police personnel waylaid him saying that he should be careful of his valuables and talked him into putting his gold chain and rings, which were around 3.5 sovereigns, in his pocket. The stranger said he…

It has been over two years since the State government notified the rules under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act Rules, 2023, which establish regulations for the functioning of Area Sabhas and Ward Sabhas throughout the state. However, no information is available or being maintained in the public domain by any of the Urban Local Governments (ULGs) or the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) to track the functioning of these Area Sabhas. We at Voice of People, have repeatedly appealed for transparency by petitioning the State government.  Read more: Area Sabhas and Ward Committees: Power to…

Until a year ago, Selvi*, a 38-year-old from Tirunelveli, worked as a salesperson in a small textile shop in Chennai. "One of the male supervisors, who is related to the shop owner, would verbally abuse the women staff and misbehave with them. The instances of such abusive behaviour kept increasing. One day, I spoke up and told him it wasn't fair for him to act that way. He became furious and started verbally abusing me. It escalated into an ugly confrontation, and I was thrown out of my job," says Selvi. As the sole breadwinner of her family, Selvi struggled…

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme designates October as the month to raise awareness about urban sustainability and related challenges. Known as 'Urban October,' it begins with World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October and concludes with World Cities Day on October 31. This period is apt for revisiting the aim of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), which is to 'make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.'  Currently, more than half of the global population lives in urban areas, up from around one-third in 1950 and projected to increase to around…

A report by the three-member Justice Hema Committee, established by the Kerala government in 2017 to examine the issues faced by women in Malayalam cinema, was released on August 19th. The report has sparked discussions about the sexual harassment experienced by women not only in the film industry but also in various workplaces. When the allegations of multiple instances of sexual harassment and abuse in Chennai’s famed Kalakshetra broke in 2023, we looked into the functioning of the Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) in Chennai's educational institutions. The roles and responsibilities of ICC apply to all organisations that have 10 or…

In a recent incident, a 56-year-old woman died when the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) conducted a drive to evict street vendors from a ‘no-hawking zone’ at the NSC Bose Road junction. According to news reports, the woman, M Krishnaveni, was trying to protect her wares during the eviction drive. This incident has sparked widespread concern and reignited discussions on designating vending and non-vending zones fairly. A series of such developments in Chennai have impacted both residents and street vendors. While residents raise issues like reduced walkability and increased garbage, vendors argue they need a proper space to sell their wares.…

The extension of 3rd Cross road in Vijayanagar is like any emerging neighbourhood in Bengaluru, with houses packed like boxes on either side. This led us to explore the role of regulations in shaping our buildings, streets and city at large. We presented our findings at the ‘Bengaluru Design Jam’, organised by organised by OpenCity, and held on July 6th. The participants collaborated to analyse and interpret different aspects of BBMP’s construction bye-laws.  The changes and growth of cities are often guided by economic activities. But the development of cities needs to be managed and regulated to ensure liveability. This…

Evictions do not affect men and women equally. Often, women bear the brunt, be it because of unplanned evictions or domestic violence that results from loss of livelihood. With no government facilities in place to turn to for help, the women in Chennai's resettlement areas often suffer in silence. To address this issue, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) will soon establish 'one-stop centres' in resettlement areas in the city. Meanwhile, a residential de-addiction centre has also been set up in Kannagi Nagar to tackle substance abuse, especially among young men and boys. Our earlier articles in this…

Civil society organisations and concerned citizens have united to protest the construction of a new airport in Parandur, in the outskirts of Chennai. The Rs 30,000-crore project is slated to come up in more than 5,000 acres of land, according to the State government. A majority of this land is agricultural and also includes many waterbodies. According to civic and environmental activists, if the construction of the greenfield airport in Parandur goes ahead as per plan, it will have significant ecological and social repercussions — loss of natural habitats, potential flooding and a loss of livelihood for communities dependent on…

Residents of the tenements built by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) in Vyasarpadi, North Chennai face several challenges. The homes are cramped, barely providing enough space for two people. There are no recreational areas for children to play and for adults to relax. Additionally, the narrow, unsafe roads with speeding vehicles pose a hazard for children living nearby. The drains are often clogged and sewage is seen overflowing onto the congested lanes. So, how do people feel about living here? One resident laments that the living spaces in the resettlement site make them feel that there is…