Good morning, Chennai!
☁️ Today’s weather: High: 34 ℃ | Low: 27 ℃ | Mostly cloudy weather for today.
🧐 Did you know? The city’s first aquarium, the Madras Marine Aquarium (MMA), was set up in 1909.
🏎️ Night race lessons
Chennai’s first street night race was mostly successful, with lessons for potential future instalments.
What’s it about? The prospect of hosting a race on the city’s streets seemed daunting and ambitious. The tight deadlines and logistical challenges with a hefty budget of ₹40 crore had many doubters. The event itself wasn’t without its hitches but turned out to be a success. There are lessons to be learned if Chennai hosts it again.
- The unexpected 8-hour delay on Day 1 didn’t help matters. The last-minute adjustments needed to make the track race-ready could’ve been done earlier.
- Despite the delays, the hope of racing never faded. Day 2 had a packed schedule with qualifying and racing. Overcast skies gave way, giving people a clear view of cars racing under the sun.
What’s next? The government and organisers acted swiftly and prepared the track in just eight months. The track has a three-year license, and there’s hope for more races in the future.
🗣️ Motivational speaker controversy
A motivational speaker was arrested following his remarks during a programme at a city school.
What’s it about? Self-proclaimed motivational speaker and founder of the Paramporul Foundation, Mahavishnu, was arrested on charges of stoking enmity between different groups and insulting persons with disabilities. During a programme at a Saidapet school, he made remarks about past life sins and disabilities.
- The video of the incident went viral on social media, where he allegedly insulted a visually impaired teacher. He was detained by the police upon his arrival at the Chennai airport from Australia.
- The Chairman of the school management committee refuted the allegations made by the headmistress and the teacher. She said he was invited to give a motivational talk.
Ramifications: Chief Minister MK Stalin ordered the immediate formulation of guidelines on holding such programmes in government schools. Mahavishnu was booked under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita and Persons with Disabilities Act.
♿ Request for ramps on metro trains
Passengers using wheelchairs want the metro’s phase 2 trains to have foldable ramps at the doors.
What’s it about? To make the metro more accessible, wheelchair-bound passengers want the trains in phase 2 to have automatic foldable ramps to prevent the wheels from getting stuck between the door and the platform. However, the Chennai Metro has said it won’t be possible since that would require a bigger height difference between the train and the platform.
- The regular metro commuter R Satish Kumar said the gap between the platform and the train is a risk for wheelchairs while entering. He encountered his experience of being unable to enter the train as the doors began to close.
- The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) said foldable ramps can only be fitted if the height difference between the train’s floor and the platform is higher. The movable platform will also lead to additional time for opening and closing the doors.
What’s next? The Disability Rights Alliance had discussed options with the CMRL. They’re waiting for a meeting between the metro officials and independent wheelchair users to explore the way forward.
🌊 Debris on the Adyar River bund
Debris dumped on the Adyar River bund blocks water flow, raising fears of flooding.
What’s it about? The northeast monsoon is about a month away, and the government has intensified preparatory works across the city. However, debris dumped on the Adyar River bund at Manapakkam has residents worried about flooding.
- Since the Chennai Metro began its construction, residents claim debris has been dumped over the past year along the river bund near MIOT Hospital.
- The area flooded in 2015 due to a lack of desilting and river restoration work. Despite complaints from residents and activists, officials haven’t been proactive.
What could happen? With increased debris, the river’s carrying capacity will be reduced, posing a flooding risk during heavy rains. The waste will block the flow to the sea through the streams.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Have you recycled a piece of clothing?
- I have recycled a piece of clothing.
- I haven’t recycled a piece of clothing.
❓ Today’s Question
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What’s your favourite animal to see at a zoo?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- The Chennai Corporation has floated tenders for dewatering pumps to address waterlogging.
- A PhD student in Chennai became a viral hit for running a street food stall.
- Chennai artist Shanmugam honoured survivors of the Wayanad landslide with a themed Ganesh pandal.
- The ‘Ninja Turtle Gang’, based in Malaysia, is fuelling a surge in illegal tortoise smuggling in Chennai.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!