October 2017 – Citizen Matters, Chennai

Pause a while, Chennai, before you dig into that rabbit meat steak!

October 31, 2017 Laasya Shekhar

Prime Chennai areas such as MGR Nagar, Anna Nagar and Pudupet market are emerging as hubs for rabbit, pigeon and duck meat, often served as fine dining fare. But how safe is this meat? And is it even legal?

Chennaiites rally together to save Ennore creek as wanton damage continues unchecked

October 30, 2017 Laasya Shekhar

Ennore community and environmentalists demand speedy remediation procedure and curbs on irresponsible industrialization that killed the creek.

How a Chennai-based team is helping families unite with long-lost loved ones

October 26, 2017 Laasya Shekhar

Since its inception a little over a year back, the initiative of the State Crime Records Bureau, ably supported by NGOs, has succeeded in reuniting 105 families where a member had gone missing and had ended up in Chennai or elsewhere in the state.

Chennai’s lonely grannies now have reason to smile

October 24, 2017 Bhavani Prabhakar

Students of the NSS wing at Ethiraj College for Women are volunteering enthusiastically for the “Talk to a Granny” programme launched by Chennai-based Senior Citizens Bureau, with the aim to cheer up elderly women battling loneliness in the big city.

Slum clearance: Why the government must go beyond displacement

October 17, 2017 Aruna Subramaniam

As disturbing images of slum dwellers being evicted from Maduravoyal and Aminjikarai appear on media, a concerned citizen raises certain pertinent questions.

This women’s initiative wants to transform Chennai, one ward at a time

October 14, 2017 Meenakshi Ramesh

Civil society group Voice of People has designed a survey for residents of Zone 13 of the GCC, findings of which will be used to create a manifesto and submitted to the councillor of each ward in the zone. Read about the group and their initiatives.

How to get a new gas connection in Chennai, online and hassle-free

October 12, 2017 Mahesh Kumar S T

A step-by-step guide on how to register for a new gas connection online, and get it in a matter of days without having to run to the agency repeatedly.

Kollayane Veliyeru: Where citizens found the courage to speak out

October 10, 2017 Navaneethan Santhanam

A Chennai citizen briefly recounts his observations during the launch of Arappor Iyakkam’s anti-corruption campaign and explains why he is hopeful about the impact that it could have.

Infrastructure gaps and corruption mar Chennai’s public healthcare system

October 9, 2017 News Desk

In a recent survey, 73% of people complained over drinking water facilities, while 49% reported that they had to pay a bribe to access government hospital services. This and more findings from Arappor Iyakkam-led citizens’ audit of public health facilities in the city

Sick of corruption? ‘Kollayane Veliyeru’ movement to be launched this Sunday

October 5, 2017 Deepa Seshadri

Meeting on October 8th, planned by NGO Arappor Iyakkam and co-organized by citizens and other organizations, aims to launch a massive campaign by bringing together all those who wish to raise their voices against corruption in the state.

Getting started with source segregation

October 3, 2017 Meenakshi Ramesh

So October 2 has come and gone. We duly remembered Mahatma Gandhi on his birthday, and went about our usual business. A few people also speak about cleanliness in our public spaces, since it is