Aruna Natarajan | Citizen Matters, Chennai

COVID-19: Women, children in low-income housing bore the worst brunt

September 18, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

The woes faced by the residents of Chennai’s resettlement colonies have been heavily underlined by COVID-19. But some have been affected worse than others. Why?

Why COVID proved to be a greater challenge in Chennai’s resettlement colonies

September 10, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

The lockdown has exposed the grave vulnerabilities of lakhs of people in resettlement colonies of Chennai. What are the lessons from this experience?

From buzzing IT corridor to sleepy corner of town: How COVID-19 has changed OMR

August 31, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

The worst hit have been small businesses in the area, as their customers — mostly migrant IT sector employees — have gone back home.

Of bullock carts, wells, fountains and reservoirs: Water supply in Chennai through the centuries

August 20, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

“The entire history of Madras can be summed up as a perpetual groping for water” says historian V Sriram, as he provides a glimpse into Chennai’s history of water (mis)management.

“Cannot go back to our old ways”: Learnings from an NGO’s COVID battle

August 12, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

Bhoomika Trust’s work with people in need during the pandemic underlines the power of volunteerism and civil society. Managing Trustee Aruna Subramaniam talks about the learnings from the journey.

How can Chennai ensure social distancing in public spaces?

August 1, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

With successive stages of unlock underway, how can the crowded streets, shopping hubs, markets and buses of Chennai become spaces safe for people?

“Effective online teaching needs longer preparation, much greater effort; why should it cost less?”

July 21, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

An in-depth interview on online schooling, its pros and cons and its long term potential, with Balaji Sampath, a passionate educational activist and entrepreneur.

How the coronavirus pandemic has slowed down Chennai’s waste management efforts

July 13, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

With door-to-door collection suspended in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, source segregation has taken a hit. Making matters worse is the indiscriminate disposal of masks, gloves and plastic sanitiser bottles.

Chennai hospital mystery: Beds aplenty on corona dashboard, none for patients

June 12, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

The count of beds available for COVID patients in government and private hospitals is 12000, and official records show less than 50% in use. Why are patients facing such a harrowing time then?

விமான பயணம் திட்டம் உள்ளதா? பயணித்தவர்கள் பகிரும் அனுபவங்களை கேளுங்கள்

June 8, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

சென்னைக்கு பயணிக்கும் திட்டம் உள்ளவர்கள் உள்ளூர் விமான பயணம் குறித்து அரசு வகுத்துள்ள வழிகாட்டியை பின்பற்ற வேண்டும். இதுவரை பயணித்தவர்கள் அனுபவத்தை பகிர்ந்துள்ளனர்.

Madras Crocodile Bank needs your help to tide over COVID-19

June 3, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

The city’s famed attraction, the Madras Crocodile Bank, has been engaged in conservation of endangered species for four decades. The lockdown has cut off revenue channels, and here is how you can help.

Flying into or out of Chennai? Travellers share their experience

June 1, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

Domestic air travel has been allowed since May 25th. What should flyers to and from the city expect?

Lockdown 4.0: Testing, quarantine and other protocol you must follow if you are coming to Chennai

May 21, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

With mobility considerably relaxed in this fourth phase of lockdown, these are the rules that are mandatory for international, inter-state and inter-district travellers to Chennai/Tamil Nadu.

Does Uber care? Does Ola provide ‘sahyog’? Drivers struggle to survive during lockdown

May 15, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

With cabs and autos off the road, Ola and Uber drivers in Chennai have been hit hard by the lockdown. Unfortunately, there has been little support from the companies or govt.

மின் கட்டணம் அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறதா? என்ன சொல்கிறது மின்சார வாரியம்

May 14, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

இந்த மாதம் உங்கள் மின்சார கட்டண ரசீதை கண்டு ஆச்சரியப்படுகிறீர்களா? கோவிட்-19 இன் போது TNEB-இன் கட்டணத் திட்டத்தைப் பற்றி நீங்கள் தெரிந்து கொள்ள வேண்டியது இங்கே.