Good morning, Chennai!
🌧️ Today’s weather: High: 30 ℃ | Low: 24 ℃ | Cloudy with a chance of rain.
🧐 Did you know? The Photographic Society of Madras was established in 1857. Following declining popularity and engagement, it was renamed The Madras Amateur Photographic Society in the mid-1880s.
🤸♀️ In the record books
Hula Hooping has a small but passionate community with members breaking world records.
What’s it about? In Chennai, cricket, football, and tennis are among the most popular sports for kids. However, there are some unexplored ones, like hula hooping, which many see as a fitness activity. For Janani Shiva, it’s more than that and earned her a Guinness World Record.
- The 9-year-old earned the world record for the most hula hoop rotations around the foot in one minute while being prone.
- Hula Hooping is a form of rhythmic gymnastics that comprises the hoop, a ball, a rope, and clubs. It’s a combo of gymnastic steps and dance.
Not as well known: Hula Hooping as a sport has more awareness in North India. While the city has Chennai Hoopers, most people aren’t aware of how many local students have broken world records with hula hoops.
🌧️ Is Chennai ready for more rain?
With intense spells of rain forecast for this week, is the city adequately prepared?
What’s it about? The city once again braces as intense monsoon spells of rain have been forecast for this week. The Chennai Corporation said it’s doubling down on its flood mitigation efforts in several areas following the first recent spell.
- The civic body has built a new pond adjacent to the six vent culverts where rainwater flows from residential areas to stormwater drains. This will help store excess rainwater and prevent inundation across Velachery, a low-lying area.
- Untreated sewage from residential buildings has been discharged into the stormwater drains through culverts. Residents are worried that the pond will only store drainage water since the Corporation won’t maintain it properly.
Incomplete work: Incomplete stormwater drains continue to worry citizens. The incomplete construction in a few places in Mylapore has residents and commuters worried. The civic body relies on tractors and pumps to drain excess water which leaves the roads muddy and slushy.
💸 Pay disparity
There’s a wage gap where unskilled Corporation workers are paid more than skilled workers.
What’s it about? In June 2023, the Labour and Welfare Skill Development Department issued an order that mandated a wage revision for employees across local authorities. However, only unskilled workers under the Chennai Corporation received a pay hike. The revision for skilled workers is still pending.
- Skilled workers like staff nurses are paid ₹18,000 a month, Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife nurses are paid ₹14,000, pharmacists get ₹15,000, and lab technicians are paid ₹13,000. Unskilled and temporary workers earn about ₹20,000 per month.
- Last September, the Corporation raised daily wages for unskilled workers to ₹687, based on the government order. In August 2024, it was again revised to ₹753 per day. Both times, skilled workers were left out.
Court order: A writ petition alleged that a June 2023 government order reduced wages for workers in local authorities. In September 2023, the court passed an interim ruling ordering the wages to be paid for temporary sanitary workers. However, there was no specification for skilled workers.
🎓 Distance education enrolment
A drop in distance education enrolment at Madras University has affected its revenues.
What’s it about? The Institute of Distance Education (IDE) of the University of Madras is one of its major sources of revenue. It has seen a 10% decrease in enrolment for the 2024-25 academic year, with admissions closing on November 15.
- Last year, the enrolment was 28,209. This year, it’s 25,421. Its popularity has been affected by the delays in appointing a Vice-Chancellor and the lack of new courses.
- Last year, the IDE generated over ₹100 crore in course and exam revenue fees. The IDE needs to attract more students through new, skill-oriented courses. However, it’s struggling to even run the existing ones.
Uncertain future: The university recently received the NAAC A++ grade accreditation and Category I status but has been unable to cash in. Other state universities are strengthening their distance education programmes.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you buy organic produce regularly?
- I buy organic produce regularly.
- I don’t buy organic produce regularly.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which small habit has made a big difference in your daily life?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Due to the heavy rainfall forecast, the district collector announced holidays for Chennai schools.
- A state-of-the-art abattoir will be built by the Chennai Corporation to replace the Pulianthope slaughterhouses.
- Padma Bhushan VP Dhananjeyan writes about why the government should make Singara Chennai a reality.
- New low-floor buses introduced by the MTC have begun breaking down regularly.
- V Pranav was crowned the winner of the Challenger section of the Chennai Grandmasters tournament.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I did undergo medical checkups in school: 75.0% 🏆
- I didn’t undergo medical checkups in school: 25.0%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What’s an alternate career you would like to try?
Suchi: “A Musician”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!