Civic

Air quality dips to poor on Bhogi day of Pongal festival As Pongal festivities began and residents of Chennai celebrated Bhogi by burning waste, some parts of the city recorded very bad air quality and low visibility on January 14 (Sunday). The worst hit areas included Manali, Royapuram, Ennore and Perungudi, where smog conditions reduced visibility and motorists had a hard time navigating the roads. According to the Central Pollution Control Board's monitoring data, the AQI on Saturday evening for particulate matter 2.5 microns (PM2.5) was between 230 and 250 µg/m³. In some areas like Perungudi, the AQI reached levels…

Promise of bigger flats to Dharavi residents According to the latest statement from the Dharavi Redevelopment Project Private Limited (DRPPL), the residents of one of the largest and unique slum settlements in Mumbai and in India, will get flats that are 350 square feet, bigger than any other slum rehabilitation project.  The project, which will be carried out by Adani Realty and Maharashtra government, is slated to be one of the largest slum cluster redevelopment projects. Dharavi, which has industries such as leather, pottery, snack-making employ thousands of people apart from residences. The plan is to build vertical towers to accommodate…

Boeing's biggest facility outside US inaugurated The American aircraft manufacturer Boeing's global engineering and technology centre campus at Devanahalli was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister S Siddaramaiah. It has been built at a cost of Rs. 1,600 crore, at a 43-acre campus. Outside the US, it is Boeing's largest investment. Sources said that the campus will be crucial for partnerships, vibrant start-ups, private and government ecosystems. It will develop next generation products and services for the global aerospace and defence industry. Boeing's largest facility, outside the US, will be officially named the Boeing India Engineering and…

On December 4 2023, Chennai plunged into chaos after Cyclone Michaung caused heavy rains and flooding in different parts of the city. The visuals of the Vadakkupattu Lake (Medavakkam Periya Eri) overflowing and breaking a compound wall, with cars in the nearby apartment blocks getting washed away because of heavy inundation, is a sight etched in the memories of residents. A citizen audit done by a group of residents and experts to investigate the causes of the large-scale inundation has laid bare the negligence of the State Water Resources Department (WRD). According to the detailed audit, the lack of proper…

Deaths on Mumbai’s railway tracks  A total of 2950 people died on the suburban railway tracks in Mumbai in 2023, says the latest data. Crossing the railway tracks and falling off a crowded train were the major reasons, apart from natural causes and suicides. The number is marginally more than last year when 2507 succumbed on the tracks.  The data compiled by the Government Railway Police showed that 1277 people were killed while crossing the tracks and 590 people died due to falling off the train.  “One suburban train has 12 coaches with a capacity of around 1,200 passengers, which…

Special buses to be operated for Pongal In view of the Pongal festival, the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) will run 450 special buses from the city to six bus stands, from where mofussil buses will be operated. The special buses will be in operation for three days from Friday (January 12) to Sunday (January 14). Similarly, to facilitate the passengers returning to the city after the festival, an additional 50 evening and night buses will ply on January 17 and 18. On January 18 and 19 early mornings, 125 buses will be operated. Source: DT Next Ennore Creek to be…

BBMP serves notices on underpaying tax After a recent upgrade of its revenue division, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has begun to serve notices to defaulters who have underpaid or under-assessed their property tax for seven years. Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner (Revenue), said that the KMC Act and the BBMP Act allow revenue officers to issue notices when they find properties being under-assessed to pay a lesser amount of tax. It requires revenue officers to survey a building. BBMP has issued notices to 20,000 property owners so far. However, many, including Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, have expressed disagreement that…

Part 1 of the series explained Bescom's responsibilities in terms of preventing accidents, and what citizens can do if they see a safety hazard.  Part 2 looks at what you can do if you suffer injury/property damage.  What happens in case of an accident? After any electrical accident, its cause is investigated by a separate department - the Department of Electrical Inspectorate under the Energy ministry. This department submits a report to the government, with a copy to Bescom. Additionally, Bescom has a committee, comprising a retired judge and a retired engineer, that visits the accident site, gathers information from…

As a teenager residing in Chennai, I observed a noticeable difference in the level of concern for safety between boys my age and myself, when in parks or outdoor spaces. While boys could play freely without feeling threatened, my own experiences were quite different. I would often be approached by unfamiliar men asking invasive questions, making me conscious of my vulnerability. This seems to be a shared experience among girls, not only confined to parks but extending to various public spaces. It brings to light a gender disparity in outdoor experiences, emphasising the need to establish a more inclusive and…

Last October, 23-year-old Soundharya and her nine-month-old daughter lost their lives to electrocution by a Bescom live wire in Hope Farm, Whitefield. In August, a Christ University student was burned by a live wire from an electric pole that fell when a vehicle accidentally pulled on an OFC illegally put up on the pole. What are Bescom's responsibilities in terms of preventing accidents? And what can you, as a citizen, do if you see a safety hazard, or if you suffer injury/property damage? Here is a guide. According to data Bescom shared with this reporter, 134 people died in Bescom-related…