Good morning, Chennai!
☀️ Today’s weather: High: 35 ℃ | Low: 24 ℃ | Sunny weather for the day.
🧐 Did you know? The Armenian Church bell tower is said to be the only one in South India to have six bells. Each one is a different size and weighs up to 150 kg.
🐢 Rare turtle sighting
The critically endangered Hawksbill turtle species was recently spotted in Besant Nagar beach.
What’s it about? A group of fishermen at the Besant Nagar beach saw a hatchling of the endangered Hawksbill turtle species near the broken bridge coast. It’s the first time a live Hawksbill turtle has been spotted after a few dead ones were spotted in the past.
- Fisher elder S Palayam clicked photos and shared them on a WhatsApp group that has volunteers from the Students Sea Turtle Conservation Network (SSTCN) as members.
- The members searched the area for a nest but couldn’t find it. The hatchling could’ve been from a wild nest. The tracks of the mother and other hatchlings could’ve been wiped away as the Chennai Corporation cleans the beach regularly.
About Hawksbill turtles: According to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF), their population has decreased by over 80% globally. They’re sought after for their brown and yellow carapace plates used to make items for jewellery and ornaments. In India, they’re usually found in the Lakshadweep and Andaman islands.
🗣️ Candidates hit the road
As election season heats up, several candidates have taken to the city’s streets, vying for votes.
What’s it about? As nominations have been filed by major candidates, it’s now time to hit the streets to campaign. Candidates from the DMK, AIADMK, and BJP have begun opening campaign offices and going door-to-door to campaign.
- Dr J Jayavardhan, the AIADMK candidate from South Chennai, visited T Nagar and touted the Smart City projects. Incumbent MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian travelled across Mylapore.
- In Central Chennai, BJP candidate Vinoj P Selvam visited St. Antony’s Shrine on Armenian Street, where he met pastors and took their blessings. He later visited the Ayyappan temple in Kodambakkam.
Talking local issues: The issues discussed between residents and the candidates pertained to their locality. For example, fishermen in Loop Road were asked to pay ₹5 lakh to get a fish stall, as noted by Jayavardhan.
🏢 Increased office space
A new real estate report highlighted how Chennai is fast becoming a hub for capability centres.
What’s it about? A report by real estate consultant Knight Frank showed that Chennai recorded a total of 6.02 million square feet of office space across 71 deals in 2023. About 30% were from the Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance (BFSI) sector.
- The study showed a 176% year-on-year increase, signalling a preference for Chennai for Global Capability Centre (GCC) operations.
- Of all the GCC deals across eight commercial markets in the country last year, Chennai accounted for 29%. In 2022, the number of deals was only 57.
Other takeaways: The manufacturing sector was the second-largest occupier of GCC office space, with 1.78 million square feet in 2023.
🏫 Ditch the chalkboard
Tambaram Corporation schools will have access to smart boards and other new digital tools for the upcoming academic year.
What’s it about? As part of a modernising initiative, Tambaram Corporation schools will get smart boards, computer labs, and digital libraries. Teachers hope the new facilities will help improve the overall learning experience for students.
- Of the 29 schools under the Corporation’s jurisdiction, work to upgrade some schools in Tambaram and Madambakkam has already begun. New classrooms are being built for additional students to free up space for computer labs.
- There’s also an opportunity for teachers to upskill. District education officers will spread awareness among teachers on the resources available to help them learn digital skills.
Addressing the problems: Inadequate or subpar school infrastructure has been a long-standing issue in many council meetings. Many government schools don’t have proper infrastructure, and sometimes classrooms have more students than they can accommodate.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Did your school have a science lab?
- My school had a science lab.
- My school didn’t have a science lab.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What app on your phone do you use the most?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Tunnelling to Nandanam will only begin next year since the metro will reuse two tunnel-boring machines.
- Kilapauk, Royapettah and Adyar, between 2007 and 2019, witnessed a 59% increase in unauthorised construction.
- Social media app Minmini, the social media partner of CSK, distributed tickets to its #minminiCSK content winners.
- The Perambur Carriage will undergo a phased relocation to make way for a fourth railway terminal.
- The Regular Practioners’ Forum of the NGT’s south zone in Chennai has asked for an option for online application submissions.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I prefer small social gatherings: 100.0% 🏆
- I prefer large social gatherings: 0.0%
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What would be your ideal birthday celebration?
Chitra: “With close family in a beautiful resort.”
Suchi: “In a good restaurant eating good food.”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!