Good morning, Chennai!
☀️ Today’s weather: High: 36 ℃ | Low: 25 ℃ | Sunny weather for today.
🧐 Did you know? The Seven Wells Fish Market, over 125 years old, is said to be the first separate market for sea produce in the city.
🏷️ The allure of night markets
Night markets offer a great opportunity for passionate artists, chefs, and others to showcase their creations.
What’s it about? The upcoming Night Market at Backyard in Adyar will help promote handmade goods. Backyard has been supporting small businesses and people’s passion projects. For people, it’s a great way to spend an evening and support local home businesses like artists, craftspersons, and bakers.
- A few months ago, Adara teamed up with Sorrel Gardens to host night markets. It offered a different ambience with the surroundings made up of greenery. It’s a convenient shopping experience for people after a day’s work.
- The stalls at night markets include products that can range from affordable and eco-friendly to luxury brands.
Growing trend: Night markets have been popular in places like Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and some Indian cities. It provides a space for people to meet sellers and socialise.
📽️ Udhayam’s curtain call
One of Chennai’s landmark theatres is preparing to close its doors.
What’s it about? For many Chennaiites, especially those in Ashok Nagar, Udhayam has been a mainstay to catch movies from the past. Its surroundings changed over the years but the theatre remained.
- Established in 1983, the theatre catered to audiences that watched the latest releases and movies from yesteryear.
- The 750-seat multiplex has four screens – Udhayam, Mini Udhayam, Chandran, and Suriyan. For many, Udhayam represents a part of their childhood and growing up.
For the masses: For many, Udhayam represented an affordable option to go to the movies. It was also relatively well-maintained. Despite going through tough times and being shut down during the pandemic, it reopened its doors to welcome moviegoers.
🌊 Perungudi Lake pollution
The lake faces the threat of pollution due to large amounts of debris being dumped.
What’s it about? During clean-up drives, residents collect several bags of waste, including thermocol, ceramics, packaging materials, and other debris. Some say conservancy workers dump the waste here since there’s no facility to process and recycle dry waste.
- According to the Corporation’s 2019 solid waste management bylaws, packaging materials are part of recyclable waste. There are only 150 recovery centres for 200 wards.
- Pieces of thermocol lead to microplastic pollution. They disintegrate faster and can enter the food chain. It becomes harder to remove them from the lake.
The lake’s importance: The Metrowater department is planning to convert the lake into a water source to supply 10 million litres a day to nearby areas. 80% of the work is done on the water treatment plant.
🏗️ Flats in Ennore remain empty
Nearly 7,000 flats built for economically weaker sections have been unoccupied for years.
What’s the story so far? In 2017, the AIADMK built 6,877 flats under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Scheme for economically weaker sections. The flats are located in a colony opposite the Ennore Thermal Power Station. They’ve remained unused due to the poor air quality. Till 2017, this area was classified as a Special and Hazardous Zone since it was surrounded by industries.
- Per the pollution control, the PM2.5 levels in Ennore go up to 135 on average compared to the WHO-permitted level of 75. The state pollution control board and Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) were concerned about the location of the flats.
- Despite concerns, the reclassification was done since there were residences near the site already. Concerning the flats, even those evicted from the banks of water bodies are unwilling to move in.
An unhealthy place: A 2021 survey found that 63% of kids under the age of five had one or more respiratory symptoms. Many experience frequent coughs and fevers.
📊 Today’s Poll
(Only subscribers can participate in the polls)
Do you listen to podcasts regularly?
- I listen to podcasts regularly.
- I don’t listen to podcasts regularly.
❓ Today’s Question
(Only subscribers can submit their answers)
What’s the best birthday gift you’ve received?
Reply to this email with your answers.
🗞️ In other news…
- Disability activists want polling stations and booths to undergo an accessibility audit.
- Panicked customers thronged to the Mylapore Hindu Permanent Fund to withdraw deposits.
- The Citizen Engagement Platform will be developed by the Chennai Corporation for grievance redressal.
- Traffic diversions have been announced on Poonamallee High Road for the proposed KMC Metro station construction.
- A marathon was organised by Korattur residents to bring attention to the lake’s encroachments.
🛋️ Local Lounge
Yesterday’s Poll:
- I use a credit card: 33.3%
- I don’t use a credit card: 66.7% 🏆
Answers to Yesterday’s Question:
What toys did you play with during your childhood?
Suchi: “Kitchen sets, dolls, puzzles.”
That’s it for today. Have a great day!