-The Times of India blog (Voices) Riding on the roads of rural Punjab, a grim spectre unfolds. It is early November and there is fire and smoke all around for the endless land that stretches ahead. It is paddy stubble burning time in the state. This phenomenon is not exceptional to the state of Punjab in India but is also prevalent in Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. Recently, there has been much...
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Drought of management -Asha Ramachandran
-The Statesman The ongoing flood situation in several parts of peninsular India has left people confused. Just a few months ago, the states were declared drought-hit with a severe drinking water crisis. Yet, images of the 2015 floods in Chennai are still fresh in one’s memory. Reports of the recent floods in Bangalore and Mumbai poured in even as the region was declared to be facing the worst drought in recorded...
More »Cash still king as digital payments inch up slowly -Rachel Chitra
-The Times of India Chennai: If demonetisation was a push for a cashless economy, it has been working very slowly. Reserve Bank of India data shows the usage of wallets, non-UPI banking apps and Aadhaar-enabled payments has been slow to catch on, while that of debit cards has fallen. The UPI payments have been growing, and a significant chunk of them are mobile-based. Overall, electronic payments stood at Rs 200 trillion in...
More »Marooned once more: on Chennai's need for flood management
-The Hindu Chennai needs integrated flood management, especially the revival of lakes and water tanks Chennai’s date with a strong northeast monsoon ought to be a cause for all-round relief since the water fortunes of more than eight million residents of the metropolitan region depend on this weather system. Yet, the torrential rains in the meteorological sub-division, exceeding the normal by 93% in the period of four days from November 1, left...
More »Heavy rains hit TN capital, leave homes & crops in districts submerged
-PTI Chennai: Torrential rains for about ten hours overnight halted normal life in Tamil Nadu’s capital and neighbouring districts of Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. Schools and colleges—already closed since 31 October due to rains—have been shut today as well in Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts. The India Meteorological Department forecast heavy to very heavy showers in north coastal Tamil Nadu till Saturday. It said Thursday's low-pressure area over Sri Lanka and adjoining south West Bay...
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