1. DMK Leads Anti-CAA Rally in Chennai Under Heavy Police Presence
In a massive show to strength to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens of India (NRC), the DMK marched from Egmore Thalamuthu Natarajan Maalikai to Rajarathinam stadium in Chennai on Monday morning, 23 December.
Thousands of people belonging to DMK, VCK, MDMK, Congress and student organisations marched peacefully. Heavy police deployment around the area ensured no law and order situation. DMK, on Sunday night, announced that it would go ahead with the mega rally despite the Chennai police refusing permission citing security reasons.
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2. PU Student Rejects Gold Medal to Support Anti-CAA & NRC Protests
Rabeeha Abdurehim, a Mass Communication post-graduate from Pondicherry University, could have received a gold medal on 23 December, but, in a show of solidarity with the students protesting against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens, who have faced police brutality, she refused the honour.
The chief guest at the convocation was President Ram Nath Kovind.“This is my form of a peaceful protest to show solidarity with the students who have been facing police brutality for protesting against CAA and NRC,” said Rabeeha Abdurehim. She said she was asked to leave the auditorium when President Kovind arrived, a source of much confusion for her.
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3. German Student at IIT Madras Threatened with Deportation over Participation in Anti-CAA Protests?
A German exchange student from IIT-Madras has allegedly been asked to leave the country for participating in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Jakob Lidenthal is pursuing a course with the Physics Department and has to complete one more semester here.
The action has come days after tweets of Jakob holding placards against the CAA went viral. “I have been 'banned' from India,” Jakob told. “I have no confirmation about the ban, but I have been threatened with deportation,” he alleged. Jakob participated in anti-CAA protests at his campus, Valluvar Kottam, and at Chepauk.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
4. Wide Cracks Spreading Across Ripon Building Spark Concern
Has the century-old Ripon Building developed cracks due to ongoing Chennai Metro Rail works, or due to official apathy in maintaining the heritage structure? City Corporation officials claim the cracks, visibly prominent ones, started appearing only after 2012, when the CMRL began works on the underground stretch. These damages seem to have been left unattended till now.
Apart from the claims, no study has been conducted to ascertain the exact cause of damage. The cracks have spread to the first and second floors of the building, where the offices of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner are located, causing panic. Apart from officials, hundreds of general public, and foreign delegates visit the building. Any untoward incident could prove costly, say sources.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Low-Cost Wearable Devices to Study City Air Pollution
In a novel concept, researchers of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras are studying air pollution levels on real-time basis across the city using low-cost wearable devices. The objective is to generate area-specific data and identify the sources of pollution.
For the study, IIT Madras is collaborating with German-based Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research who jointly are compiling first-of-its-kind data sets that would capture the real situation in city. The lead researcher SM Shiva Nagendra of Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras told these wearable devices can measure Particulate Matter (PM), noise levels, temperature, ozone and other key pollutants.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
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