Good morning, Chennai!
🌥️ Today’s weather: High: 36 ℃ | Low: 27 ℃ | A little cloudy for the day.
🧐 Did you know? Chennai is the only city in the country with a lighthouse in the city limits.
👩🏫 Educating the underprivileged
The Zenith Tuition Centre has been educating young kids in North Chennai for decades.
What’s the history? Ali Basha discontinued his education due to his family’s financial difficulties. At the age of 17, he and his friend Chitra began tuition classes for kids from vulnerable communities who were at risk of dropping out. In 1992, the Zenith Tuition Centre was born in Tiruvottiyur.
- The centre has helped thousands of at-risk kids, providing them an opportunity to learn and grow. In Ennore, which has become vulnerable to industrialisation, Basha has educated and empowered residents, particularly from fishing communities.
- Basha has built a network of educators and educational institutions to spread awareness among locals about unchecked industrialisation in the city’s peripheral areas often neglected.
Starting young: In places like Ennore and Pulicat, many generations of families have succumbed to buy-offs by large companies. By educating children with talks from climate experts, street theatre, and the arts, the hope is that they’ll become socially conscious about their surroundings.
🎇 Cracker sales woes
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Ahead of Diwali, cracker sales in the city have been discouraging due to increasing costs.
What’s it about? According to some estimates, the wholesale sale of crackers has decreased by 20% compared to last year in Sivakasi. The ripple effects have been felt across the state, including Chennai. Customer footfall in places like Virudhunagar, with over 2,500 retail shops, has been lower compared to previous years.
- At Island Grounds in Chennai, sellers are upset over the government’s decision to hand over stalls to the Triplicane Urban Cooperative Society (TUCS). The rent has also been increased to ₹6 lakh with 18% GST for five days.
- Out of fifty stalls at the Island Grounds, four were set up by the TUCS. Despite deep discounts, sales on the first day only amounted to ₹40,000.
Go pollution-free: Poovulagin Nanbargal launched an online campaign urging the public to go cracker-free this Diwali. The NGO said pollution from crackers affects senior citizens and kids.
🎓 Madras University to implement NEP’s proposal
Madras University will implement the NEP’s Academic Bank of Credits (ABCs).
What’s it about? While the state government opposes the Centre’s National Education Policy (NEP), it’s making its way into state universities. In a recent Senate meeting, Madras University decided to implement the ABCs, which calls for a credit-based system for flexible and integrated education opportunities.
- Academic credits will be digitally stored from recognised higher educational institutions. This will support the seamless transfer and redemption of credits across other institutions in India.
- ABC IDs will be available for all enrolled students in undergraduate, postgraduate, and diploma courses in the university and affiliated colleges. It’s also available for Institute of Distance Education (IDE) students.
Some opposition: Some Senate members opposed the implementation since the state government is against the NEP. Five of the state universities still don’t have vice-chancellors.
💸 Diwali bonus
The Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) announced ex-gratia for 300 employees.
What’s it about? The CMRL sanctioned an ex-gratia of ₹15,000 for nearly 300 metro workers for Diwali. This comes in the wake of metro employees requesting Diwali bonuses from the CMRL.
- A circular stated that the establishment has sanctioned ₹15,000 to all non-executive employees for 2023-24. The nearly 200 permanent staff haven’t received any amount since the CMRL began services.
- The eligibility criteria are employees who have rendered a full year of service from August 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. Those who have worked for six months and above during 2023-24 are eligible for a particular amount.
Trade Union approves: A member of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) welcomed the decision to follow the government’s order for ex-gratia to all employees in State-run Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs).
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Would you participate in a reality TV show if given the chance?
- I would participate in a reality TV show.
- I wouldn’t participate in a reality TV show.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What type of firecracker is your favourite?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- In time for Diwali, the Government Kilpauk Medical College and Hospital opened a Special Burns Ward.
- Airfares from Chennai to other cities in the state have soared due to higher demand for Diwali.
- A new bridge connecting Jeevan Nagar Second Street and Medavakkam Main Road was completed after two years.
- To manage the Diwali rush, the Southern Railway announced the temporary suspension of platform ticket sales.
- ELITE Global Oil & Gas recently inaugurated its CompEx Training Centre in Chennai.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I participated in sports competitions in school: 76.9% 🏆
- I didn’t participate in sports competitions in school: 23.1%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
Which fictional universe would you want to live in?
Suchi: “The Wonderland Universe”
Preethi: “Thupariyum Sambu”
Shiva: “Harry Potter”
Rangarajan: “Harry Potter”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!