Good morning, Chennai!
🌤️ Today’s weather: High: 30 ℃ | Low: 22 ℃ | Mostly clear skies for the day.
🧐 Did you know? The tallest building in Chennai is the High Living District Tower-H in SPIR City at Perambur, with 45 floors.
🌇 Climate change risk
A new study has shown that Chennai is the most exposed to climate change in Tamil Nadu.
What’s it about? According to a report by the Centre for Climate Change and Disaster Management (CCCDM) at Anna University, Chennai is the most exposed city in the state to climate change. The primary reasons are its high population density and higher number of homeless people.
- In assessing the city, the study showed that Avadi and Tambaram were the most affected by hazards like floods, heat waves, thermal discomfort, and pollution.
- Despite being the most exposed, Chennai is also the best prepared to tackle climate change thanks to green buildings and better waste management facilities.
Mitigation: The report showed that 70% of climate actions are being taken up in Chennai alone. Only 30% are nature-based solutions and 70% are grey or physical infrastructure.
💊 OTC antibiotics prevalent
Several drug stores in the city continue to sell Schedule H drugs without prescriptions.
What’s it about? One of the recent challenges faced by healthcare professionals is rising antibiotic resistance. Self-medication with antibiotics is the primary reason. Schedule H drugs are sold at several pharmacies in the city over the counter without a prescription.
- Post-pandemic, the use of antibiotics like Azithromycin and Amoxicillin became common. These are basic antibiotics and are readily available. Customers insist even if pharmacies deny them since they don’t have a prescription.
- Pharmacists or clinicians aren’t the only ones to blame. People aren’t aware of how to use antibiotics, and they often buy half the course prescribed and take limited doses.
Actions taken: The Drug Control Department implemented 48 sanctions of prosecution from January to November for the sale of drugs without a pharmacist’s supervision.
🏗️ Central Tower taking shape
The Chennai Metro’s Central Tower is taking shape as the bidder has been chosen.
What’s it about? Renaatus Projects was the lowest bidder and will build the 27-storey Central Tower near the Central Railway station. It’s part of the plan to transform the space near the station similar to Trafalgar Square in London and Times Square in New York.
- The ground and the first four floors will be for retail and a multiplex. The next 20 floors will be for offices. The top two floors will have a hotel spread over 6,400 sq m.
- To cater to the people using this tower, four floors of parking space spanning over 24,000 sq ft have been built. It can accommodate 586 cars and 1,652 two-wheelers.
Making of a hub: The space is being designed as a hub and public space that caters to transportation, retail, hospitality, and commercial activities. People will have access to the railway station, the metro and bus services.
🌊 Water release causes flooding
Several areas in North Chennai have been inundated due to the release of water from reservoirs.
What happened? Several areas in Manali and Madhavaram have been inundated since the Water Resources Department (WRD) opened sluice gates of the Puzhal and Poondi reservoirs. Officials wanted to lower the storage levels ahead of more anticipated rain.
- The 13.5-km long surplus channel from Puzhal is designed to carry excess water to the Kosasthalaiyar River in Manali. However, the 1.5-km stretch near Sadayankuppam village doesn’t have boundary walls.
- At Madhavaram, officials delayed building a 2 km long, 3-metre wide channel from Retteri Lake to the Puzhal surplus. Water flows from the Avadi, Ambattur, and Korattur lakes, but there’s no link from Retteri to Kosasthalaiyar.
What’s being done? The WRD is studying the possibility of building an alternative drainage mechanism at Manali. The channel from Retteri Lake to Puzhal has been awaiting government approval for months.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you tried homoeopathic medicine/treatment?
- I have tried homoeopathic medicine/treatment.
- I haven’t tried homoeopathic medicine/treatment.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
How many languages can you read and write?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Perambur residents blame inadequate flood mitigation work for perennial flooding.
- M Suresh Vedanayagam, a journalist from the “League of Justice”, was elected the Chennai Press Club’s President.
- Forgotten Greens’ food walk helped shine a spotlight on forgotten weeds and shrubs.
- The Brahma Gana Sabha began its 23rd edition of the December Margazhi season.
- The state housing board has yet to allocate adequate housing for 229 families evicted from Manali Town.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have tried drawing/painting: 71.4% 🏆
- I haven’t tried drawing/painting: 28.6%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What’s your preferred genre of books to read?
Suchi: “Thrillers and Spiritual books”
Rangarajan: “Detective Novels”
Dinesh: “Non-fiction and Philosophy”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!