Good morning, Chennai!
☁️ Today’s weather: High: 36 ℃ | Low: 27 ℃ | Mostly cloudy for the day.
🧐 Did you know? The Royapuram station is the oldest standing railway station building in the Indian subcontinent. It was inaugurated in 1856.
♻️ Safeguarding the environment
Chennai-based organisations and individuals have made it their mission to protect the urban environment.
What’s it about? Organisations and collectives across the country are working to raise awareness about climate change and the importance of protecting urban spaces and ensuring environmental justice. In Chennai, two such groups are Nizhal and the Chennai Climate Action Group.
- Nizhal promotes urban greening and focuses on indigenous tree species and biodiversity regeneration. Their flagship projects include the Kotturpuram and the Madhavaram Urban Forests.
- The Chennai Climate Action Group highlights the impacts of climate change on marginalised communities. They’ve been active in North Chennai which recently witnessed the Ennore gas leak.
Other cities: The Sprouts Environmental Trust and Vanashakti in Mumbai work on raising awareness about the environment and monitoring natural spaces in the city. In Bengaluru, Biome researches how cities can achieve water sustainability.
⚕️ Tanker Foundation turns 31
The city-based foundation marked 31 years of providing dialysis for underprivileged kidney patients.
What’s its history? The foundation was the brainchild of nephrologist Dr Georgi Abraham. It has grown over the years with help from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme (CMCHIS), Rotarians, Lions Club members, and the Chennai Corporation.
- The foundation has provided dialyses to nearly 7 lakh patients for free or at subsidised rates. Across the city, the foundation supports 900 patients through 14 dialysis units and 250 machines.
- Many of the patients also help organise camps and fundraising. The foundation works out of Corporation hospitals, public healthcare centres, and Rotary Hospitals.
Increasing awareness: The foundation conducts awareness programmes at schools and colleges about early detection of kidney diseases. Transplants have increased as people have become more aware of diseases and treatment options.
♿ Fare concession request
Persons with Disabilities have requested the Chennai Metro to introduce concessional fares.
What’s it about? Persons with Disabilities have asked the state government and the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) to introduce concessional fares. They feel the metro has become the most barrier-free and accessible mode of public transport for many.
- Per a Right to Information (RTI) petition filed by activist V Gopalakrishnan this year, the Chennai Metro clarified that it doesn’t have separate fares for people with disabilities.
- He also filed a petition with the Chief Minister’s cell about the same in 2022. The 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act lists access to transport as one of its components.
Mumbai’s example: Last year, the Mumbai metro announced a 25% fare concession for senior citizens, school students up to class 12, and persons with disabilities.
👩💻 Online meetings with councillors
In the Tambaram zone, meetings with councillors have now gone online, but not everyone is happy.
What’s it about? The Tambaram Corporation has 70 councillors who normally meet with residents in parks and halls monthly to understand their grievances. These meetings have now gone online. However, several residents, including senior citizens, are frustrated by the lack of face-to-face interactions.
- Many councillors have created groups of message-sharing platforms to help residents with their issues. East Tambaram ward councillor Shakila Jancy Mare’s group already has 700 members. It allows her to get immediate feedback and pose questions.
- However, for some, this new way of conducting meetings is cumbersome. Senior citizens who aren’t familiar with this method have struggled to adapt and prefer meeting representatives in person.
What can be done? Several residents have called for a more frequent and inclusive platform. They also want regular meetings like area sabha meetings, which are usually done quarterly.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you have more than one TV in your house?
- I have more than one TV.
- I don’t have more than one TV.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s a book you’ve read multiple times?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- The Chennai Metro has clarified that non-metro passengers can use the station’s restrooms.
- The Metrowater department will survey 15,000 households to assess the quality of its services.
- A YouTuber’s shop at the Chennai airport played a key role in a gold smuggling scam.
- Rajan Eye Care gets a revolutionary new Zeiss Artevo 800 digital microscope for surgeries.
- Nearly 5,000 people participated in the 16th Tamil Nadu Rainbow Coalition Self-Respect Parade.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I have performed in front of a live audience: 40.0%
- I haven’t performed in front of a live audience: 60.0% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What’s your favourite genre of TV show?
Suchi: “Feel good family dramas.”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!