2016 Citizen Matters, Chennai

Ode to Madras, city of many firsts in India

December 16, 2016 Mahesh Kumar S T

How many of us know that erstwhile Madras formed the cradle of many of the institutions that define modern India? Here’s a slice of that glorious history of present-day Chennai.

How Jaya turned sleepy Madras into vibrant Chennai

December 12, 2016 Kalyan N Arun

K.N. Arun looks back upon the life and times of an unforgettable leader and her impact on the city

Chennai mourns the passing of an icon, quietly

December 7, 2016 Meenakshi Ramesh

Glimpses from the city on a day when it bid final farewell to one of its greatest icons, as the ruling chief minister J Jayalalithaa – Amma to all – passed away.

Upcycling: A citizen’s guide to creatively reducing landfill waste

November 28, 2016 Bhavani Prabhakar

Upcycling — producing creative, high-end products from reusable waste — has found a growing following in the city of late. Bhavani A P captures the trend and provides a primer for the beginner.

What demonetisation means for common man on Chennai streets

November 21, 2016 Bhavani Prabhakar

Bhavani A P talks to the Chennai hoi polloi to find out what they think of the ban on notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000, and how the move has impacted them so far.

Five lessons from Sholinganallur apartment’s waste management

November 18, 2016 Harsha and Prabha Koda

Getting a community habituated to segregating their household waste at source is a long and sometimes arduous journey. But it’s well worth the time and effort, as this OMR initiative shows.

Chennai PhD scholar takes on Tamil film industry over stalking

November 13, 2016 Bhavani Prabhakar

Iswarya V, a PhD scholar at the Madras Christian College, has launched a petition on Change.org arguing for an immediate stop to the glorification of stalking by the hero in Tamil films. Bhavani A P in a candid chat with the petitioner:

Creating cooler shades for Chennai: A chat with the Founder of Nizhal

November 4, 2016 Meenakshi Ramesh

Citizen Matters caught up with the founder of Nizhal, who has been committed to the cause of greening Chennai for over a decade now.

The many faces of Deepavali in Chennai

October 29, 2016 Meenakshi Ramesh

The pull of the fireworks and the call of a cleaner, greener planet – how is Chennai balancing the two this Deepavali? Meenakshi Ramesh finds out.

With no elected councillors in office, how will Chennai take on the monsoon?

October 26, 2016 Bhavani Prabhakar

While the Chennai city council stands dissolved, a recent order of the Madras High Court has delayed elections to the municipal body; how do citizens feel about this as they brace themselves for the rains?

Reflections on giving, sharing and receiving

October 18, 2016 Meera Rajagopalan

Daan Utsav volunteer Meera Rajagopalan ponders upon the invaluable memories and takeaways from the recently concluded festival of giving.

How is Chennai preparing to tackle the rains?

October 14, 2016 News Desk

Take a quick look at the various administrative and technical measures that the state has planned with an eye on prevention and management of flood situations in the city.

Residents of Padur on OMR raise their voices against dumping

October 7, 2016 Jayanthi Jacob

A citizen journalist reports on their long-standing struggle to stop environmental damage and health hazards due to indiscriminate dumping and burning of mixed waste in Padur on Old Mahabalipuram Road.

Poor voter turnout – lazy Chennai or lazy analysis?

October 4, 2016 Mahesh Kumar S T

Urban voters have often been berated for the low polling percentages recorded across cities. But is the percentage really that low? And are there procedural issues that could be the reason? Mahesh S T analyses the Chennai rolls.

Why celebrate giving? Humans of Daan Utsav tell us why

September 30, 2016 Saradha

What can a week-long festival of giving achieve? Saradha Krishnamoorthy recounts her personal Daan Utsav story to answer that one question that has bothered many a skeptic!