Good morning, Chennai!
☀️ Today’s weather: Clear skies and sunny weather for the day.
🧐 Did you know? Mylapore was an important hub of commercial and religious activity. It refers to the existence of the dual tradition of Nayanmars and Alwars in Kapaleeshwarar and Adi Kesava Temples.
🏭 Plan to tackle air pollution
The Corporation hopes a new traffic management plan will reduce air pollution.
What’s it about? The Corporation is looking to implement an integrated traffic management system to deal with air pollution. It’ll include innovative methods to improve air quality. Pollution levels have been gradually increasing thanks to transportation and garbage dump yards. They’re looking at non-point sources of pollution.
- Part of the traffic plan is to reduce the idling time of vehicles with AI systems at 184 junctions. Pollution data will be monitored through sensors.
- The Centre flagged the issue for Chennai under the National Clean Air Programme. Chennai hasn’t listed and quantified the sources of pollution and hasn’t monitored the PM2.5 levels.
Other steps: The Corporation will undertake biomining at dump yards to reduce atmospheric pollution in North Chennai. CNG plants will come up in Chetpet and Kodungaiyur to convert wet waste. The Corporation will also promote non-motorised transport.
- Environmental expert K Karthikeyan said biomining sites should be barricaded and the process done in a closed atmosphere.
🏞️ Saving a dying pond
A group of citizens took on the responsibility of reviving a dying pond.
History: At least five generations of families have been nurtured by the Nalla Thaneer Kulam. A few decades ago, the pond was safe enough to drink from. Heavy encroachments have covered the pond’s inlet and outlet, leading to its degradation. A group of citizens joined hands with United Way of Chennai and F&B Symrise Pvt Ltd to bring it back to life.
- United Way worked with Symrise to restore the water body completely. They strengthened the pond’s bund, built a walkway, installed 24 solar lights, and set up benches.
- The restored pond was inaugurated by MP Tamizhachi Thangapandian. The residents continue to take care of it as part of a committee to ensure the pond thrives with biodiversity.
Who said what? Project Manager Gabriel Sundar Raj said an initial assessment of the pond showed it was a water source for the community. Since the outlets were closed, the rain was its only source. K Mangalam, a resident, said people now come to spend their evenings here, and it has become the pride of their neighbourhood.
🧵 Dolls made of upcycled fabric
A sustainable firm makes dolls and other products from upcycled fabric, moving away from fast fashion.
What’s it about? City-based Oh Scrap Madras’ line of four dolls made of upcycled fabric is part of the company’s intent to create products from textile waste. They make hairbands, craft clothes, and other items from used fabric. Each doll is unique and made from different fabrics sourced from factories and designers. As the pandemic set in, individuals began contributing fabric.
- The dolls are made by ten women from economically backward communities. The idea came from the founders being parents who wanted to make interesting-looking dolls. The target audience is adults looking to gift dolls to their friends.
- The 11-inch comfort dolls are priced at ₹800 each. The company has a segregation process where each textile and garment is examined to determine if they’ll be upcycled or thrifted.
Who said what? Priyanjoli Basu, one of the founders, said the company, which began with just two women, has grown thanks to word of mouth in and around Chennai. They look for women who want to learn a skill and can earn a living working from home. She also talked about waste segregation, which she says the state government needs to do more about.
🧑🏫 IIT Madras and rural employment
The institute’s Research Park is looking to generate rural employment.
What’s it about? The 11.5-acre IIT Madras Research Park is a big success for many with its facilities and ₹50-60 crore annual revenue. For its president Ashok Jhunjhunwala, it’s not enough. There’s a lack of rural jobs causing migration with negative consequences for migrants and cities. To tackle this, it has set up a Rural Technology Business Incubator (RTBI).
- The RTBI has set up a company called Rubiz IT Services which will run a rural data annotation centre in the Tirunelveli district. Data will be tagged and categorised for AI applications, a job for high-school-educated rural people.
- HTC Global will support this initiative. NASSCOM will also be a partner giving their clients access to the centre. The first one will begin operations next month.
Opportunities: The centre will bridge the gap between urban and rural areas to produce new jobs and change the rural landscape. For Jhunjhunwala, now’s the right time with a good power supply, communication, and a better-educated workforce. In the long run, similar centres to the one in Tirunelveli will be set up across the state.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
What do you mainly use social media for?
- I mostly use social media for personal reasons.
- I mostly use social media for professional reasons.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
Which is your preferred streaming/OTT service, and why?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Removal of barricades along some Metro construction sites is a relief to motorists.
- The Highways Department has resumed stormwater drain work on arterial roads.
- Activists and MTC disagree on the effectiveness of kneeling buses, with the latter saying it’ll increase traffic congestion.
- T Nagar’s Pedestrian Plaza was a hub of activity, with people dancing and playing games thanks to the Happy Streets initiative.
- Untreated meat waste by Corporation officials is a potential health hazard.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I see movies on the weekend or soon after their releases: 50.0% 🏆
- I see the movies once they come to an OTT platform: 50.0% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What are you most afraid of?
Vigneshwaran: “I am afraid of my future.”
Giri: “Snakes and Street Dogs”
Kavimani: “Dogs 🙂”
Shyju: “EXAMS”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!