Good morning, Chennai!
⛅ Today’s weather: Somewhat sunny with a little cloud cover.
🧐 Did you know? The first British hospital in India was set up in 1664 at Fort St. George. It was used to tend to the sick soldiers of the East India Company.
🥩 Raids on eateries
Officials raided several eateries in the city in the wake of the death of a 14-year-old girl.
What’s it about? After a 14-year-old girl who consumed shawarma from an eatery in Namakkal died recently, officials from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) conducted surprise raids across eateries that sell meat dishes. They found several places selling stale meat.
- A team led by Dr P Satheesh Kumar inspected 76 shops across several areas, including West Mambalam and Arumbakkam. In some of these shops, they found additives in the chicken and stale meat being stored.
- Over 350 kg of food were destroyed. Three shops, including two shawarma joints, were temporarily stripped of their operations. Seven others were fined.
What does the law say? According to the Food Safety Act, restaurants are served notices if they violate any guidelines. For consumers to raise complaints, there’s a Tamil Nadu Food Safety App that can be downloaded or a complaint can be sent to the department’s WhatsApp number 9444042322.
🛣️ Mobility plan survey
CUMTA released an online survey for its upcoming mobility plan to get people’s input.
What’s it about? The Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) wants to hear and understand what residents have to say about the future of the city’s mobility. The door-to-door and online surveys were launched by CUMTA, and within a day, there were 10 inputs.
- For the door-to-door survey, CUMTA has hired agencies to cover 50,000 households in 75 days. There are about 40 questions ranging from type of vehicle owned, monthly expenses on transport, number of daily trips, etc.
- The data from these surveys will be combined with data from cameras across the city to understand the city’s travel and mobility patterns. This will help revise Chennai’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP).
Data insights: The data gathered from the surveys and cameras will be correlated with Google inputs. This will help officials understand resident’s travel patterns, traffic congestion spots, and public transport usage.
Details: You can check out the survey at this link.
🛺 Auto fare revisions
Autorickshaw fares in the city will be revised in the next three months.
What’s it about? The state government informed the Madras High Court that autorickshaw fares in the city and neighbouring districts will be revised within 12 weeks.
- The revised fares will be based on the government fare revision committee’s recommendations. Last year, it suggested ₹40 for 1.8 km as the base fare and ₹18 for every additional km.
- The previous recommendation was released based on fuel prices and travel costs. The current base fare is ₹25 for 1.8 km. Drivers are allowed to charge up to ₹12 for every additional km.
Drivers were unhappy: When the previous proposal was announced, drivers’ unions were unhappy. They wanted the government to release an app akin to Ola and Uber to estimate fares based on demand and distance travelled.
🐕 Stray dogs on HC complex
Lawyers and advocates rue the stray dog menace at the Madras High Court premises.
What’s it about? The 160-year-old High Court complex is now home to several stray dogs that have irked law officers and lawyers. While they want them removed from the premises, animal rights activists and the Chennai Corporation cite a Supreme Court order on protecting stray dogs.
- Many who call the complex their office have to leave later than usual and getting to their vehicle becomes an ordeal since the dogs snarl and bark at them. Some of the dogs aren’t vaccinated and are aggressive.
- Several spots also become unhygienic due to them urinating and defecating. The number of stray dogs at the complex has increased in the past five years. The Corporation claimed the dogs had been sterilised.
Blame game: Animal activist and lawyer at the High Court LN Pragasam said the Corporation is to blame for not keeping a check on the canine population. He said the dog pounds aren’t adequately maintained, and there aren’t adequate vets to treat them. At a Corporation meeting last month, Commissioner J Radhakrishnan said they have been taking steps, but the law states they need to be released at the same spot after sterilisation.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Have you ever kept a personal diary or journal?
- I have kept a personal diary or journal.
- I have never kept a personal diary or journal.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What place within or outside the city would be best for camping?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- A power line has impeded metro construction work near Porur, which could delay it by half a year.
- Several police quarters in the city are in a dilapidated condition, leaving residents worried.
- The centenary celebrations of Professor M Viswanathan, the father of diabetology, were held in Chennai.
- World Bank housing projects in the city are still in limbo as beneficiaries wait for land titles and sale deeds.
- The CMDA initiated a ₹144 crore plan to transform the city’s bus stands, beaches, and playgrounds.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- Chennai Metro fares are expensive: 55.6% 🏆
- Chennai Metro fares aren’t expensive: 44.4%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What do you think is the city’s signature dish?
Suchi: “Idli Sambar”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!