Tamil Nadu: August – Over 30 cm rainfall recorded in 17 weather stations

Tamil Nadu: August – Over 30 cm rainfall recorded in 17 weather stations 

Chennai: In an exception for the month of August, a total of 17 weather stations have recorded above 30 cm rainfall in Tamil Nadu, thus slightly erasing the water scarcity situation, statistics say. In a related development, the inflow to Mettur dam and Bhavani Sagar, which dipped early this week gained momentum with Mettur receiving an inflow of 4,500 cusecs on Saturday. Continuous rainfall in the catchment areas of Cauvery also saw inflow into Hogenakkal suspending coracle and tourist movements.  Greater Chennai, which received intermittent rains for the past three days, also recorded an inflow into the Chembarambakkam and Redhills reservoirs making the total storage capacity of city bound reservoirs to three percent against the total storage capacity of 11 tmc feet.  Weather blogger K Srikanth mentioned that around 188 stations noted above 10cm rains and 74 stations received above 20cm rains of August 25. Explaining the rainfall activity, Srikanth said,“ Continuous rains for three weeks, which the state experienced is exceptional. It was due to the break monsoon,” During break monsoon, its axis gets struck along the foothills of Himalayas, facilitating rains in Tamil Nadu. A similar phenomenon was witnessed in 2011, Srikanth said.  Moderate rainfall witnessed in Northern Tamil Nadu belt on Saturday, due to convection would increase the August rainfall. Districts of Chennai, Cuddalore and Vellore saw sudden spells of rains as slow moving winds reached the coast on Saturday, weather office sources said. In Chennai, parts of Guindy, Anna Nagar, Mogaippar and Saturday received around 2cm rainfall -chocking traffic.  According to data from the Regional Meteorological Centre, the two weather stations in the city saw an increase in temperature from average on Saturday. Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam noted 35.3 degree Celsius and 34.9 degree Celsius on Saturday, which are 0.7 and 0.1 degrees up from the average.  However, the rain forecast to the state seems to be disappointing in the next few days, as warmer temperatures are ahead. “Rains are expected to slow down as thunderstorms are likely to reduce over Tamil Nadu, except for some isolated spells,” Srikanth added.


Best of Chennai 

Fit for Breakfast B-Fit, B-Fresh at Holiday Inn Looking for a pit-stop after your early morning bike ride or a drive out of town? Drop the boring options for the newest in town, a healthy breakfast place that caters to all your needs. B-Fit, B-Fresh a novel spread at the newly opened Holiday Inn on Old Mahabalipuram Road has been designed keeping in mind the requirements of guests. From multi-grain bakes to a granola bar and a salad bar with a weighing scale to help count your calories, you will be spoilt for choice. There are also cold pressed juices, smoothies, a dedicated sprouts station and flavoured low-fat yoghurt options. All this is available for riders of high-end motorbikes and cycles at a special rate along with special parking space at the porch.   At Holiday Inn Chennai OMR Expressway, 110, Rajiv Gandhi Salai; Tel 66046604; Price Rs 750 plus taxes and Rs 550 plus taxes for bikers A treasure trove Tulsi silks Santosh Parekh, partner, Tulsi Silks   For over a decade now, Santosh Parekh, 50, partner at Tulsi Silks has been collecting heirloom Kanjivaram sarees, cataloguing them painstakingly and adding them to a small display room. What started as a research initiative to create new products for the brand, soon became a hobby that is now 2,000 sarees strong, most collected from hawkers. "I realised that the sarees were getting destroyed as these hawkers would sell it merely for the metal content, gold and silver in most cases. The weave was getting lost in the process," explains Parekh, enthusiastically displaying sarees in uncommon colours like brown with border detailing that isn't available anymore. After years spent at looms and the knowledge gained through his own collection with some help from designers, Parekh decided it was time to share this treasure with the world through an exhibition last month. Though Parekh has more such exhibitions planned, he welcomes students and customers alike to take a peek into his treasure trove. "The three-shuttle weave is dying and I want to do something to start the cycle. The more people delve into old weaves the more their demand increases. Weavers in turn will get more work," he says. "I would also love to see people take inspiration from heirlooms weaves to create their own," he adds. At Tulsi Silks, 68, Luz Church Road, Mylapore; Tel 24991086 Cycle for Health PedalBeat The PedalBeat studio in Chennai   If you've been hearing about the benefits of spinning for fitness, the city's first indoor cycling studio might be the place for you. PedalBeat, which opened its doors in Chennai last year, is the brainchild of four cycling enthusiasts who were looking for a way to fit cycling into their regime, without having to deal with weather and road conditions. The energy is infectious and the music upbeat, and individual heart rate monitors enable you to track your fitness level and calorie count. "Each session is different and lasts for 45 minutes on an average. The routines range from sprinting to hard climbs and the music is synced with each one of them," explains Mukund Rangarajan, 41, CEO. The trainers change with sessions too and members are free to pick their own schedules. Mukund Rangarajan, CEO PedalBeat, at the studio   At 64, CP Ramaswamy Road, Abiramapuram, Alwarpet; Tel 9840921899; Price Rs 2,000 onwards per month  Reviving Lost Recipes Tamarind Restaurant   Ever tasted delicacies from Kongu Nadu or Nanjil Nadu or the intricate jala parotta native to Nagapattinam? Here's a restaurant that lets you take more than a dip into these culinary delights, bringing to your table the lost recipes from home kitchens, while keeping intact the legacy of one of the city's earliest celebrity chefs, Jacob. "He died at the young age of 38 and had already built a team and spent years researching these cuisines. We brought back members from his original team to recreate the magic," says Colonel (retd) Pradeep Kumar, managing director, Innovative Hospitality Solutions. All recipes date back to as many as 50 to 100 years and come from the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, and you can witness some of the action at the live counter at the entrance. Here is where the jala parottas are made with a stuffing of your choice. Other specialities include vetrilai poondu sadam (betel leaf and garlic biryani), elaneer payasam and the keda virundhu (a mutton thali served during lunch). At Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nugambakkam; Tel 9445313311; Meal for Two Rs 1,000 onwards Bags of surprise Tao of Peng The interiors of Tao of Peng   This contemporary Chinese restaurant that serves cuisines from the regions of Sichuan, Guanghan and Hong Kong has already made a mark on the city's food map. With its carefully selected ingredients, modern techniques and presentation, Tao of Peng is taking the next step in serving up a brunch to showcase a variety of over 20 dim sums. Avinash Naha, 30, Executive Sous Chef has planned a menu that caters to everyone-from vegetarians and seafood lovers to hardcore meat eaters. There is also a selection of soups, main course and accompaniments. Among the dim sums, Naha recommends his favourite- the Xia Lung Bao that is cooked to tender in lamb stock. "It melts in your mouth but can be tricky to prepare. It can't be overcooked even by a second," he says. Also on the top of his list are the Lobster Money Bags, where the lobster is paired with the restaurant's unique potato starch skin for firm yet tender dim sums. Chinese cuisine at the restaurant   At Tao of Peng, Inter Continental Mahabalipuram, 212, Nemelli Village; Tel 71270101; On From September 16, every Saturday; Price Rs 1,799 plus taxes onwards Customised Concoctions Teaava   Whether it is party favours you are looking for or festival gifts, a city-based gourmet tea brand will create a blend of your choice from scratch. An avid tea-drinker, Sangeetha Madhav, 24, had to almost always rely on her travels to source gourmet teas. Often, they would be from estates in Darjeeling or The Nilgiris. She decided to take matters into her own hands and started Teaava, a gourmet tea company that blends natural ingredients with tea sourced directly from tea estates. Tie-ups with blenders and many tasting sessions later, Teaava has a range of 20 blends and is looking to produce over 50 in the coming months. Some of their popular blends include Red Hibiscus, a combination of rose petals, hibiscus and peppermint with green tea, and mint which is a blend of spearmint and peppermint. On order of 100 boxes or more, you can also have your own custom blend created. "The process involves us picking a base tea, understanding the client's flavour needs, making recommendations, creating a blend and tasting sessions," explains Madhav. Details teaava.com; Tel 9940245085; Price Rs 200 onwards Natural Indulgence Skinsense   Your search for SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) and phthalatefree, natural skincare finds an answer in a small brand in the city. Skinsense by Rashmi Prithviraj, 39, is all about ayurvedic ingredients, subtle aromas and a lot of natural goodness. "I have been making my own skincare products for a very long time. Friends soon started buying soaps off me and it is they who insisted I share them with others," says Prithviraj. Rashmi Prithviraj of Skinsense Skinsense now offers a wide range of products including soaps, lip balms, face packs, body and face butters, foot scrubs, dusting powders and more. All of these are made using natural oils, essential oils, clay and herbs. "The inspiration came from my grandmother who always had a herb-based kashayam ready for any of our problems," says Prithviraj. Besides the regular range, she also caters to custom orders for party and wedding favours at a minimum of 15 to 20 products. At skinsensenatural.com; Price Rs 350 onwards Flavourful Platters Jamavar at The Leela Palace   Slow cooked lamb from Rajasthan, vegetable stew from Kerala and a stack of sannas from Mangalore, that's how your dinner plate might look like at Jamavar. This speciality restaurant at The Leela Palace has done the unthinkable and brought the North and South together, albeit in the culinary sense. The menu spans regional specialities from Kashmir, Rajasthan, Kerala, Mangalore and Lucknow, with a bit of a twist here and there. "No readymade spices have been used and everything is made fresh from scratch," says Debdas Balaga, 39, Chef-de-cuisine. The chef recommends Rann-e-Jamavar from the North, a preparation of lamb, braised in a copper vessel and slow-cooked for over four hours with lamb stock and malt vinegar, finished off in the tandoor for the smoky flavour. From the South comes the Lobster Neerulli, cooked in coconut oil with shallots, chilli and finished off with freshly prepared first extract coconut milk. At Jamavar, The Leela Palace, MRC Nagar, Chennai Tel 30958271; Meal for Two Rs 3,500 onwards Sip by The Sea Cocktail Bar by Kipling Exterior of Cocktail Bar by Kipling   For many years now, Kipling Cafe on the East Coast Road has been the most popular spot for a romantic dinner or a date night. The sea breeze, dim lighting and the pretty white cabanas aside, the food and cocktails have many coming back for more. It was two years ago that the cafe restaurant added to its existing charm with a Cocktail Bar on its first floor. Done up in bamboo, the bar has a sea view and is best known for its martinis and collection of single malts. "We have as many as 10 to 12 martini flavours with the most popular ones being Thai Basil, Raw Mango and Guava," says Harichandran, 27, general manager. An open air section, an air conditioned space and a menu of thin-crust pizzas, steaks, homemade ravioli and more, makes it more than a quick stopover. There's also mud cake and tiramisu to help make your meal more memorable. Interior of Cocktail Bar by Kipling   At Kipling Cafe, Akkarai, East Coast Road; Tel 30853610; Meal for Two Rs 1,800 onwards Soul Food Sleep Menu: An Appetite to Sleep at ITC Grand Chola Sous chef Sandeep Kapoor crafting the sleep menu at ITC Grand Chola   Here's one to take the stress off after a hard day at work. As part of Sleep Menu: An Appetite to Sleep, ITC Hotels have launched a culinary menu curated using calming and sleepinducing ingredients like bananas, salmon, lotus seeds and milk to help you get a good night's sleep. Sample this selection at ITC Grand Chola, where a two-year research has culminated in offerings like gulkand milk and turkey pastrami and montery jack sandwiches. "The menu follows a holistic wellness approach, integrating the knowledge available within traditional Indian culinary sciences and contemporary practices, whilst bringing to the fore indigenous ingredients such as gulkand and popped lotus seeds among others. It includes renditions of soul food and comfort food that can be consumed at any time, including late in the night with each ingredient being crucial in enhancing the sleep cycle," says Manjit Gill, Corporate Chef, ITC Hotels. Available for in-room dining only, the menu also focusses on easily digestible meals with components that enhance sleep without compromising on taste. At ITC Grand Chola, 63, Mount Road, Guindy; Tel 22200000; Meal for Two Rs 2,000 onwards A Cultural Feast DakshinaChitra Intricate doorways at the DakshinaChitra Museum   A project of the Madras Craft Foundation, DakshinaChitra located on the city's outskirts is an open air museum that takes you through life in South India complete with architectural and cultural elements in a single trip. The ten-acre campus features 18 typical houses from different regions in the South displaying their diversity and intricacies. Ideal for day trips, DakshinaChitra engages tourists and locals of all ages through interactive craft activities and exhibitions setup throughout the year. You could try your hand at pottery or model your own palm leaf toys with the help of local craftsmen. A window to the South, DakshinaChitra also hosts music, dance and other cultural performances of folk arts on the verge of disappearance. At DakshinaChitra, East Coast Road, Muttukadu; Tel 27472603


Mumbai floods prompt calls for crackdown on India’s urban sprawl 

A man balances himself as he walks on a wall in a water-logged neighbourhood in Mumbai on Wednesday—Reuters MUMBAI: As Mumbai mops up after its worst floods in more than a decade, experts say India must police urban sprawl more tightly to protect its packed cities from ever more frequent, fatal floods. Urban planning needs to radically improve, they say, to ensure land is used safely as developers rush to cash in on India’s rural poor moving to cities in ever greater numbers. If not, people will continue to die in the sort of heavy monsoon rains that killed more than a dozen in Mumbai this week, destroying homes, felling buildings and spreading chaos. “The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is rising, yet we plan infrastructure only after building over everything,” environmentalist Debi Goenka told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. As Mumbai struggled to cope, similar flooding hit the cities of Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Chandigarh, while nearly 300 were killed in floods in the southern city of Chennai in 2015. With increasing urbanisation and more extreme weather events forecast — including variable rainfall — analysts urged India to impose strict checks on urban land use. “Nearly all our cities are at risk of floods because of unchecked urbanisation and depletion of water bodies,” said Sushmita Sengupta at the Centre for Science and Environment, a New Delhi-based think tank. “The wetlands, which are meant to be sponges for water, are built over, storm-water drains are clogged with garbage, so there is no system for rainwater run-off; where will the water go?” By 2050, half of all Indians will live in urban areas. While city officials say no amount of planning can adequately deal with the sort of heavy rainfall seen this month, analysts say the urban model is flawed, with commercial interests taking precedence over environmental concerns. Mangroves destroyed In Mumbai, which has amongst the priciest real estate in the world, mangroves and wetlands have been destroyed to build office towers, which also block the mouth of the River Mithi. The deluge this week, after the city received nearly a month’s worth of rainfall in a single day, revived memories of the floods in 2005 that killed more than 500 people. Most victims lived in slums, home to more than half the city’s 20 million population. “During the 2005 floods, city officials said it was a once-in-100-years event. Today they’re realising it’s a once-in-10-years event,” said Goenka, the environmentalist. About 65 million people live in India’s slums. Improving their infrastructure — with storm-water drains, sanitation facilities and embankments — is essential to disaster preparedness, analysts say. Yet a $7.5-billion Smart Cities Mission that aims to modernise 100 Indian cities with high-speed internet and efficient public transport may evict slum dwellers and lead to yet more concrete structures. “We cannot prevent future flooding disasters unless city officials commit to curbing the real estate industry and to not doing further damage to the wetlands,” said Nityanand Jayaraman, an environmental activist in Chennai. “If that means going without an additional flyover, so be it; if that means de-congesting our cities, we have to do it. There are no short cuts,” he said. —Reuters Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2017