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New Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Science
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu's heat crisis: Either build sustainably or burn
As Tamil Nadu continues its breakneck urbanisation, a new decadal study commissioned by the State Planning Commission (SPC) has sounded alarm bells over rising land surface temperatures (LST) and worsening heat stress across the state. Titled 'Urban Growth and Thermal Stress: A Decadal Assessment of Built-Up Area and Climate Interactions in Tamil Nadu', the report reveals how unregulated urban expansion has created dangerous heat islands, strained infrastructure, and intensified ecological degradation in the last two decades. The study, which integrates high-resolution spatial data from MODIS LST, ERA5 air temperature records, and building footprint changes from 1985 to 2015, maps heat exposure at the block-level for all 389 blocks across Tamil Nadu. The results show 94 blocks have witnessed a steep rise in heat over the past 40 years, while 64 blocks currently suffer from temperatures well above the state average. Particularly vulnerable are 25 blocks—including those in Chennai, Karur, and Ramanathapuram—which fall into both categories, making them high-risk zones for future climate and health. The heat driver The report places rapid urbanisation at the heart of the problem. Between 1985 and 2015, Tamil Nadu witnessed unprecedented expansion in built-up areas, particularly in districts like Chennai, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, and Chengalpattu. For instance, S.S. Kulam block in Coimbatore more than doubled its built-up area from 62 sq km to 137 sq km—surpassing even Chennai, which expanded from 86 sq km to 131 sq km during the same period. More worryingly, when built-up area is analysed relative to a block's total geographical area, the percentage of land classified as 'built' has jumped alarmingly. In Chennai, this rose from 48 per cent to 74 per cent in just three decades, while St. Thomas Malai in Chengalpattu posted a 44 pc rise, the highest relative growth recorded. 'Heat stress is becoming one of the most tangible impacts of climate change. As urban areas expand, integrating heat considerations into planning is essential to safeguard communities and protect ecosystems. Mainstreaming Heat Action Plans at the city level is now a necessity,' said Sudha Ramen, Member Secretary and Head of Division (Land Use), SPC. Night-time heat: A silent killer One of the most significant findings of the report relates to night-time land surface temperature (nLST), a key indicator of retained heat in urban zones. Using satellite data from MODIS, the study shows that between 2000–2005 and 2018–2023, average nLST increased by nearly 4°C in many urban and peri-urban zones. Even Tier-II cities like Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, and Erode are seeing worrying upward trends, which could have serious health impacts. 'We often ignore how hot nights affect human health, both physical and mental. Sustained heat exposure after sunset reduces the body's ability to recover, increasing risks of dehydration, cardiovascular stress, and even mortality,' said Shweta Narayan, Campaign Lead, Global Climate and Health Alliance. The Universal Thermal Comfort Index (UTCI) used in the study reinforces this concern, with large areas in and around Chennai, Coimbatore, and Madurai falling in high thermal discomfort zones. Roughly 27 pc of the population is now residing in blocks with above-average night-time LST, putting them at prolonged risk.
New Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Climate
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu's first block-level heat stress mapping rings alarm bells
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu released the state's first-ever block-level spatial analysis of heat exposure, on Monday. The decadal study, conducted by the Tamil Nadu State Land Use Research Board and State Planning Commission confirms that rising urbanisation and loss of natural land cover are driving a dangerous surge in local temperatures across the state. Out of 389 development blocks, the study found that 94 have experienced significant decadal increases in heat stress, while 64 blocks are currently enduring higher-than-state-average temperatures, even if they haven't seen long-term trends. Critically, 25 blocks which fall under 10 districts -- Chennai, Chengalpattu, Karur, Madurai, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Tiruchy, Tirunelveli and Tiruvallur -- fall under the 'extremely heat-stressed' category in both assessments. The study found that many of the blocks that fall under both critical categories are associated with intensive urban development or proximity to industrial belts. "These blocks are of particular concern as they represent areas where temperatures have both increased significantly over time and are currently above the state average, indicating persistent and intensifying thermal stress," the report states. The findings draw a direct link between land use change -- especially built-up area expansion -- and temperature rise. For instance, Chennai's built-up area grew from 48% of its total area in 1985 to 74% in 2015. St. Thomas Mount in Chengalpattu district saw a staggering fivefold increase in built-up footprint, surpassing even the capital in relative growth. In these urban and peri-urban zones, temperatures have risen by up to 2 degree Celsius above the state average in just two decades.
The Hindu
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. Planning Commission submits four reports to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin
The State Planning Commission on Monday submitted four detailed reports on various subjects to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin at the Secretariat in Chennai. One of the reports called for profiling and data organisation of all mines in Tamil Nadu urgently to facilitate large-scale land-use planning. The report 'Mapping Mines in Tamil Nadu — Assessing their Restoration Potential' said the process could begin with mines exceeding a certain size threshold. Calling for collecting the details of all mines and capturing drone images, it said detailed and up-to-date information about mines would streamline the study and planning process for restoration and land-use planning at the State-level. Deputy Chief Minister and SPC's ex-officio Vice-Chairperson Udhayanidhi Stalin, SPC's executive chairperson J. Jeyaranjan, and senior officials submitted the reports to the Chief Minister. The report 'Child Nutrition — Key Challenges and Strategies' recommended emphasis on improving linear growth among children to reduce stunting, with a focus on early-life interventions. It called for focus on the first 1,000 days of life but also stressed extending interventions to pre-pregnancy and adolescence. Regular monitoring of children for weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference, improving dietary diversity for young children were among the recommendations. The report 'Urban Growth and Thermal Stress: A Decadal Assessment of Built-up Area and Climate Interactions in Tamil Nadu' called for a comprehensive heat mitigation strategy for the State. It recommended community engagement, data-driven monitoring, block-level interventions, building construction guidelines, and urbanisation regulations. The regulations include urban infrastructure and land-use planning, urban building construction guidelines, hilly region construction regulations, rural area construction standards, and retrofitting existing structures, among others. The 'Framework for Nature-based Solutions for Enhanced Urban Resilience in Tier 2 Cities of Tamil Nadu - Framework Report' said that Tamil Nadu reflected the global trends vividly with its Tier 2 cities experiencing accelerated economic and demographic expansion. 'This urban growth, however, is contrasted against rising climate risks including urban floods, decline in groundwater, cyclones and ecological fragmentation, calling for urgent, sustainable, and resilient urban planning approaches,' it said. The proposed framework developed jointly by TN-SLURB, GIZ and CUBE presented a strategic and technical framework for mainstreaming NBS into the urban planning systems of Tier 2 cities in Tamil Nadu, it said.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
COMING FULL CIRCLE
Tamil Nadu accounts for 35% of India's automotive production and more than 40% of auto exports. But as the state prepares for the next phase of investments and manufacturing growth, it is eyeing a new-age production strategy focussed on circular manufacturing and cluster collaboration in electric mobility. Many of these future-ready ideas are included in a just-released State Planning Commission report (titled Powering Tamil Nadu's Automotive Manufacturing Growth) being scrutinised by the govt. Says state industries minister TRB Rajaa, "The report lays out a clear, ambitious and actionable roadmap for the EV sector, one that places innovation, inclusion and impact at the centre of growth." The idea, he says, is to secure "long-term leadership in the sector." Some of these ideas are in the process of being greenlit. "Recommendations on the skilling and R&D side are already being put into action. We're coming up with a circular economy policy to encourage reuse of recoverables," says state industries secretary V Arun Roy. TN will not only focus on making EVs and parts, but on reuse and recycling as well as scrappage opportunities as part of an end-to-end manufacturing strategy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 3.5, 4.5 BHK Homes starting at ₹4.89 Cr.* Hero Homes Learn More Undo Some of that effort is already bearing fruit. The govt has approved a unit to be set up in Hosur for recycling lithium-ion batteries, the industry secretary says. "There is scope in scrapping and usage of recycled steel, which can reduce cost and improve manufacturing competitiveness. But we must keep safety and ecosystem requirements in mind," adds Arun Roy. MSMEs will play a big role in circular manufacturing. Says Atul Anand, state MSME secretary: "MSMEs can be part of TN's focus on battery manufacturing and circular manufacturing, including second-life applications, battery reuse, and material recovery." This includes refurbishing, repurposing used EV batteries for applications like energy storage systems for green energy grids or backup power for commercial, residential use. They could set up small-scale recycling units to recover materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel from spent batteries, extend blockchain for traceability in auto manufacturing and battery recycling as well as 3D printing of low-volume complex parts, he adds. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA), apex body for the auto component industry, is on board with this vision which "reaffirms the state's leadership as a critical hub in India's mobility value chain — not just in traditional manufacturing, but in driving the next wave of electric, intelligent, and sustainable vehicles," says Shradha Suri Marwah, president, ACMA & CMD Subros. For circular manufacturing to work, the report's cluster collaboration concept — which bundles industry and academia to create factory-floor innovation — is also being piloted. "As part of setting up cluster parks close to academic institutions, we're developing University Research Parks in TN," says V Arun Roy. "We're tying up with Kamaraj University in Madurai and Bharatiyar University in Coimbatore, and there will be a soft launch. " These parks will offer manufacturing solutions when industry approaches them with production-related problems, he says. This ties into TN's skilling focus on making the next-gen factory worker proficient in factory analytics, IOT, machining learning and AI. "The push to skill up through a dedicated Mobility Skills 2030 programme, along with EV servicing support for MSMEs (as suggested by the State Planning Commission Report), shows real intent," says Rajaa. Interestingly, some of the critical skilling interventions are coming from industry instead. Take Delta Electronics, which has launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) programme with Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC). This involves a tie-up with local engineering or polytechnic colleges to train future staff on working with robots. Said Rachna Kango, senior director, ESG & strategic marketing, Delta Electronics India: "The segment-agnostic programme will help engineering or ITI grads to be employed in any manufacturing unit, auto, electronics or cement. We conduct a short-term (one-month) and long-term (3-4 months) course to train between 200 and 300 students every year. We will tie up with an engineering college in Ber, Krishnagiri district (an EV hub), for this course," she added. The move to make TN's auto industry future-ready will work only when new-age production is backed by scale. Says Satyakam Arya, MD & CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, "To attract the next generation of automotive manufacturing, Tamil Nadu needs to focus on gaining scale and efficiency, evolving with Industry 4.0 technologies, and investing in new mobility solutions such as electric, hydrogen, and gas." Tamil Nadu accounts for 35% of India's automotive production and more than 40% of auto exports. But as the state prepares for the next phase of investments and manufacturing growth, it is eyeing a new-age production strategy focussed on circular manufacturing and cluster collaboration in electric mobility. Many of these future-ready ideas are included in a just-released State Planning Commission report (titled Powering Tamil Nadu's Automotive Manufacturing Growth) being scrutinised by the govt. Says state industries minister TRB Rajaa, "The report lays out a clear, ambitious and actionable roadmap for the EV sector, one that places innovation, inclusion and impact at the centre of growth." The idea, he says, is to secure "long-term leadership in the sector." Some of these ideas are in the process of being greenlit. "Recommendations on the skilling and R&D side are already being put into action. We're coming up with a circular economy policy to encourage reuse of recoverables," says state industries secretary V Arun Roy. TN will not only focus on making EVs and parts, but on reuse and recycling as well as scrappage opportunities as part of an end-to-end manufacturing strategy. Some of that effort is already bearing fruit. The govt has approved a unit to be set up in Hosur for recycling lithium-ion batteries, the industry secretary says. "There is scope in scrapping and usage of recycled steel, which can reduce cost and improve manufacturing competitiveness. But we must keep safety and ecosystem requirements in mind," adds Arun Roy. MSMEs will play a big role in circular manufacturing. Says Atul Anand, state MSME secretary: "MSMEs can be part of TN's focus on battery manufacturing and circular manufacturing, including second-life applications, battery reuse, and material recovery." This includes refurbishing, repurposing used EV batteries for applications like energy storage systems for green energy grids or backup power for commercial, residential use. They could set up small-scale recycling units to recover materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel from spent batteries, extend blockchain for traceability in auto manufacturing and battery recycling as well as 3D printing of low-volume complex parts, he adds. The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA), apex body for the auto component industry, is on board with this vision which "reaffirms the state's leadership as a critical hub in India's mobility value chain — not just in traditional manufacturing, but in driving the next wave of electric, intelligent, and sustainable vehicles," says Shradha Suri Marwah, president, ACMA & CMD Subros. For circular manufacturing to work, the report's cluster collaboration concept — which bundles industry and academia to create factory-floor innovation — is also being piloted. "As part of setting up cluster parks close to academic institutions, we're developing University Research Parks in TN," says V Arun Roy. "We're tying up with Kamaraj University in Madurai and Bharatiyar University in Coimbatore, and there will be a soft launch. " These parks will offer manufacturing solutions when industry approaches them with production-related problems, he says. This ties into TN's skilling focus on making the next-gen factory worker proficient in factory analytics, IOT, machining learning and AI. "The push to skill up through a dedicated Mobility Skills 2030 programme, along with EV servicing support for MSMEs (as suggested by the State Planning Commission Report), shows real intent," says Rajaa. Interestingly, some of the critical skilling interventions are coming from industry instead. Take Delta Electronics, which has launched a Centre of Excellence (CoE) programme with Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC). This involves a tie-up with local engineering or polytechnic colleges to train future staff on working with robots. Said Rachna Kango, senior director, ESG & strategic marketing, Delta Electronics India: "The segment-agnostic programme will help engineering or ITI grads to be employed in any manufacturing unit, auto, electronics or cement. We conduct a short-term (one-month) and long-term (3-4 months) course to train between 200 and 300 students every year. We will tie up with an engineering college in Ber, Krishnagiri district (an EV hub), for this course," she added. The move to make TN's auto industry future-ready will work only when new-age production is backed by scale. Says Satyakam Arya, MD & CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, "To attract the next generation of automotive manufacturing, Tamil Nadu needs to focus on gaining scale and efficiency, evolving with Industry 4.0 technologies, and investing in new mobility solutions such as electric, hydrogen, and gas."
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. trains college teachers to set question papers testing students' analytical, problem-solving skills
Numbers, often, do not reflect the reality. Masked behind Tamil Nadu's high gross enrolment ratio (GER) of 52% in higher education are serious deficiencies in curriculum transaction and assessment, as highlighted by a State Planning Commission's evaluation of university question papers that was released in December 2023. The report was an indictment of the rot that had set in in Tamil Nadu's higher education realm. Question papers for semester-end exams for Engineering and Arts and Science subjects barely challenged the students to use analytical or problem-solving methods; rather, they had questions that involved mere recall of concepts, which promoted rote learning. These deficiencies in pedagogical methods directly affected learning outcomes that are reflected by placement performance of institutions. So, how did the State respond? After twiddling its fingers for about a year, the government launched a training programme in December 2024 for the faculty of all State universities and government colleges. The revised Bloom's Taxonomy, a framework to classify learning outcomes based on six cognitive levels — namely remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, and create — forms the core of the training programme. While the first two levels largely pertain to recall of the concepts, the next four levels require higher order thinking and problem solving skills. Improving quality of education 'In these training programmes, which are conducted in workshop mode, the teachers are being taught to write the course outcomes to align with the larger programme outcomes,' said M.P. Vijayakumar, Vice Chairman, Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE), the agency with the mandate to improve the quality of higher education in the State. 'We want to build their capacity to frame analytical and problem-solving questions for evaluating students.' This change, he cautions, needs to be brought in gradually so as not to inconvenience learning. Giving an example, Mr. Vijayakumar said that for science subjects, investigation, which is a K4-level attribute in revised Bloom's Taxonomy, can happen essentially in a laboratory, but focus on laboratory curriculum has been lagging. So far, nearly 2,000 faculty members have been trained in about 20 sessions, but extending the programme to cover all 50,000 faculty members across the State appears a tall order. The Council has already trained 180 master trainers who would then train other faculty members. 'We would like to cover as much ground as possible within this academic year,' Mr. Vijayakumar added. Registrars and controllers of examination of all State universities have undergone this training. At the day-long workshops, the faculty members are given a rundown on Learning Outcome-based Curriculum Framework (LOCF) formulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Outcome-Based Education (OBE) adopted by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). They are then required to write their course outcomes to reflect the final programme outcomes. This is followed by a group discussion and feedback on the outcomes. As a follow-up to this, the Council plans to audit all question papers of State universities and autonomous colleges on the percentage of questions based on higher order thinking skills once the new form of evaluation is rolled out. It would take a while, years perhaps, to notice any tangible result, but these initial steps need to be taken and pursued doggedly.
