Good morning, Chennai!
🌤️ Today’s weather: High: 37 ℃ | Low: 28 ℃ | Some cloud cover with high humidity.
🧐 Did you know? The Royapuram railway station was the premier station in the city till Central took over in 1907. The first line was opened in July 1856, with Royapuram being one end of the line.
📚 Importance of local libraries
Small, often hidden away local libraries run by the state public libraries department continue to have their regulars.
What’s it about? These local public libraries run by the department have become a mainstay for decades, with regulars continuing to browse the collection of books and magazines. The oldest is the Connemara Public Library, which was built in 1896 and became the state central library in 1950.
- Maintaining local libraries has become difficult due to the reduced allocation of funds. In the 2024 Budget, the state government announced ₹213 crore to revamp public libraries to have new facilities like WiFi and reading rooms.
- To attract more people, the libraries are now venues for workshops, creative writing, public speaking, poetry, and journalism, curated by industry experts.
What else is being done? The library department is working on building an online catalogue where people can see which library has the book they want. To attract more youngsters, there are reading awareness drives in schools and colleges and offering discounts at book fairs.
🛰️ Catch a glimpse of the ISS
Chennai residents will be able to spot the International Space Station (ISS).
What’s it about? Over the past couple of days, the ISS, sometimes called the third brightest object in the night sky, was visible to Chennaiites. NASA had announced that the ISS would be visible to the naked eye across Indian cities between May 8 and 23 since it reflects sunlight like the moon. It can only be seen at dawn or dusk.
- Some Chennai residents shared their videos on social media. One spotted a bright white dot from 7.07 pm to 7.09 pm, despite the cloudy cover.
- There’s still another chance to catch it as it’s expected to be visible on May 14 from 4.14 am for three minutes.
Other cities: People in Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai were also able to catch a glimpse of the ISS in the early morning hours.
🏭 Waste-to-energy plant opposition
The Chennai Corporation’s plan to build a waste-to-energy plant in Kodungaiyur has been met with opposition from activists.
What’s it about? The tender was floated by the Corporation, but activists have warned that incineration of waste will cause pollution and environmental degradation. The “No Burn Chennai” campaign was kicked off by several groups against the proposed plant.
- Among the groups in opposition are Poovulagin Nanbargal, Chennai Climate Action Group, Citizen Consumer, and Civic Action Group. They said corporates have made false promises and blamed people for not segregating their waste.
- North Chennai is already heavily polluted, and an incineration plant will only make things worse. A similar plant to produce construction material near Manali has affected the locals.
Lessons from elsewhere: Delhi is among the most polluted cities in the world since it burns 70% of the total garbage generated. A 2022 IIT Madras study showed that Delhi’s air had chloride due to burning garbage.
⛵ Set sail
The state government has plans to set up a sailing academy near the Cooum river mouth.
What’s it about? The Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) has submitted an application to set up the Tamil Nadu Sailing Academy and Centre of Excellence in Sailing near the Cooum River mouth on Marina Beach.
- The government has allocated ₹7 crore for the project, which will come up on 2.75 acres of land. The centre will have two storeys with a gym, video library, and facilities to berth and service yachts.
- The location is the confluence of the Cooum River with the Bay of Bengal near the Marina. The government has submitted an application to the Coastal Regulation Zone for their approval.
Why this academy? Chennai has become a prime destination for sailing and rowing since it’s a coastal city. It’s also part of the government’s plan to make the state a sports hub.
📊 Today’s Poll
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Have you read any of the Harry Potter books?
- I have read the Harry Potter books.
- I haven’t read the Harry Potter books.
❓ Today’s Question
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Who are some of your favourite authors?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Akshaya Tritiya campaigns in Chennai have resulted in a 30% increase in gold sales.
- Light morning showers over the next two days are expected to keep the city’s day temperatures below normal.
- AR and VR courses will be introduced by Anna University at the College of Engineering Guindy.
- DP World inaugurated its second Free Trade Warehouse Zone (FTWZ) in India at its Integrated Chennai Business Park.
- Citizens and NGOs come together to help restore the Periya Eri Lake.
That’s it for today. Have a great day!