Articles by News Desk

According to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority, Chennai generates about 3,000 tonnes of waste per day and most of it comes from residential and commercial establishments. The focus of a zero-waste home is not just on being environment-friendly but also on protecting our health and the health of future generations.  With improper source segregation, more waste gets added to the dumpyards daily. Pic: Aruna Natarajan The key to achieving zero waste living is the concept of — Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. This can happen only when there is successful waste segregation at source, which will enable citizens to understand…

Rainfall yellow-alert over weekend The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rainfall across Maharashtra, including Mumbai, from November 25 to 27, issuing a yellow alert for large coastal areas. The IMD predicts thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds (30 to 40 kmph) in some regions during this period. This forecast is attributed to the formation of a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal, causing unseasonal rainfall. The IMD expects this development to potentially alleviate air pollution in the city. Source: Hindustan Times  BMC introduces 'zero prescription policy' for direct hospital medicine access The BMC has introduced a 'zero prescription…

Stray dog attacks 29 people in Chennai A stray dog in Chennai bit 29 people in less than an hour in the Royapuram area before being killed by locals suspecting it might have rabies. Witnesses reported unprovoked attacks, with victims sustaining deep cuts and bleeding. Twenty-four individuals had category three bites, with possible saliva transfer. The injured, including school children and senior citizens, were admitted to a nearby hospital for rabies prevention. The Greater Chennai Corporation sent the body of the dog for postmortem at the Madras Veterinary College to determine if it was rabies-infected, given its unprovoked aggression. Sources:…

Projects for safe city, low anaemia The ‘Safe City’ project's newly built command centre was inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on November 24th. In March this year, the centre had launched Phase 1 of the 'Safe City' project, under the ‘Nirbhaya Fund’. The costs are being shared between the centre and the state at a 60:40 ratio. About 7,500 CCTV cameras in 3,000 key areas, 50 safety islands, 158 viewing centres and a command centre are planned. The Anaemia Mukta Poushtika Karnataka Action Plan was launched by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on November 22nd, aiming to improve the nutritional status of…

First Navi Mumbai Metro after 9 years delay The first Metro line of Navi Mumbai started on Friday after a nine-year delay. Instructing Cidco authorities, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde directed the commencement of the Navi Mumbai Metro Belapur-Pendhar Line 1 without an official public ceremony. Initially laid in May 2011 by former CM Prithviraj Chavan, the project faced multiple delays, with its original deadline of 2014 being extended several times due to contractor negligence compounded by the impact of the pandemic. The State opposition leader, Vijay Wadettiwar, had threatened to inaugurate the Navi Mumbai Metro service. Its inauguration, initially planned…

Post-Diwali air still polluted There was a slight dip in the air pollution levels during the Diwali days (from November 12th to November 14th) this time compared to last year, according to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).  The average Air Quality Index (AQI) in the KSPCB station of Jayanagar on the first day was 214, a decline from 254 last year. On the second day, it was 248 (poor category), still better than 312 (very poor category) in 2022. The average AQI for the three days was 234, against last year’s 257.  The uptick was issued for 39 stations,…

Several leopard sightings were reported in the city this month. A leopard wandering around Kudlu Gate in South Bengaluru was caught after a five day search. Unfortunately , the animal passed away in the veterinary hospital in Bannerghatta biological park after it was shot when it attacked a veterinary doctor.  This is not the first time that leopards have been sighted in the city. In 2016, an eight-year old male leopard had  entered Vibgyor High in Marathahalli. Wildlife conservationist, Sanjay Gubbi, was called to rescue the leopard. He had sustained serious injuries when the leopard attacked him. However, the leopard…

Mosquito breeding sites identified by GCC The Greater Chennai Corporation has located sites where there is extensive mosquito breeding in the city. The civic body has tagged 1500 such sites across the city. The sites include commercial buildings and spots that are under construction. The exercise has been underway since August. Thiruvottiyur zone has the highest number of mosquito breeding sites, followed by Manali.  Mosquito breeding and the onset of monsoon have caused a spike in Dengue cases in the city with the current tally for the year at 493. The civic body has undertaken several mosquito control measures in…

Mumbai breathes ‘temporary’ fresh air  The recent light rain across Mumbai has significantly improved the city's air quality, registering an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 74 on Friday. Out of the 24 monitoring stations, several recorded a 'satisfactory' AQI between 50 and 100. This unexpected rainfall is linked to a low-pressure system in the east-central Arabian Sea. In contrast, Mumbai had been witnessing poor air quality since last month, post-monsoon, with the overall AQI reaching as high as 193 last week. Numerous areas in the city had reported 'poor' air quality, with AQI levels consistently above 250. Source: Indian Express…

24 TMC Cauvery water for city The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is drawing up a Detailed Project Report (DPR) to use additional 6 tmcft Cauvery water for the drinking water needs of Bengaluru. The government has issued an order to the BWSSB to use 24 TMC of Cauvery water annually for the City and its surrounding areas. After meeting the legal team in the national capital, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, in charge of Water Resources Department, said that the city can use 24 TMC, according to the Supreme Court’s order in 2018. Currently, it is using…