News | Citizen Matters

Will Mangaluru’s ‘Selfie with Pothole’ campaign yield results as new local council takes office?

November 19, 2019 Harsha Raj Gatty

The campaign was launched ahead of the recently conducted local body elections in the hope that citizens would remember the state of road infrastructure when they cast their votes; it is now to be seen whether elected council members will take note and act on it.

The trail from a blocked sewer to the local wine shop

November 18, 2019 C S Sharada Prasad

The local bar is where they are often to be found, relieving the stress of their inhuman toil — India’s sewer workers, who do the unclean work that a ‘swachh’ India relies on. This World Toilet Day, we bring you some of their stories from Hyderabad.

Regularisation of Delhi colonies: While AAP, BJP fight for honours, residents keep fingers crossed

November 18, 2019 Santosh Joy

The Union Cabinet recently approved the state government’s proposal to give ownership rights to those living in 1,797 unauthorised colonies in the Delhi-NCT area. While usual political rhetoric by parties continues, what really lies ahead?

Garbage to gold: Shillong women’s group shows the way

November 15, 2019 Linda Chhakchhuak

Ambitious, big-money plans remain on paper, but a women’s self help group comprised of ragpickers-turned-recyclers could help the hill station solve its ugly waste crisis.

Why the Kashmir situation is bothering Amritsar’s textile industry

November 14, 2019 Raj Machhan

Countless manufacturing units in the once-thriving textile sector lie idle today, and 80% of the two lakh people directly and indirectly employed by the industry have returned home. The Kashmir clampdown may not be the only reason, but is making matters worse for sure.

Srinagar: Where abnormalcy is the new normal

November 12, 2019 Revathi Siva Kumar

A 11-member fact-finding team recently visited Srinagar among other places in Kashmir, and saw a ghost town in place of the picturesque, vibrant city that once was. The clampdown on essential services, mobility, communication and trade has made life in this ‘paradise’ an ordeal.

50000 workers face serious health risks in illegal e-waste processing units in Delhi

November 11, 2019 Amita Bhaduri

A study identified 15 e-waste processing hotspots in Delhi, housing 5000 units that operate without any safeguards for its employees, who are exposed to chemical or metallic dusts, vapour and acidic effluents.

Why Mumbai is not excited about the proposed transplantation of 5000 trees

November 10, 2019 Hepzi Anthony

Mumbai faces transplantation of about 5000 trees to compensate for the loss of tree cover due to various Metro projects across the city. Yet, environmentalists have little hope as 56% of the trees transplanted in the city since 2017 have failed to survive the relocation.

Waste woes in Paradise: Srinagar’s struggle to clear garbage from streets during lockdown

November 7, 2019 Abid Bashir Wani

In the days following abrogation of Article 370, Srinagar became a stinking mess, as municipal staff were unable to report to work and mounds of garbage accumulated on streets. While proactive officers and safai karamcharis have managed to tide over the crisis in the face of odds, waste management in the city needs serious fixes for the long term.

What is making rainwater in Guwahati toxic?

November 6, 2019 Sahana Ghosh

A study suggests that a cocktail of natural and man-made pollutants wafting in the air is tinkering with the rainwater quality in Guwahati.

“Just two hours of disturbance”: Ugly truths and uncomfortable questions post Chhat celebrations in Kolkata lake

November 5, 2019 Mou Chakraborty

The NGT has long banned all festivities and rituals in Rabindra Sarovar, a national lake in south Kolkata. Yet what transpired during Chhat Puja clearly points to the futility of such orders in the absence of political will and awareness among masses.

How Ahmedabad is greening its concrete landscape

November 5, 2019 Binita Parikh

From Miyawaki forests on the Sabarmati riverfront and various other spots, to floating gardens on the river itself, Ahmedabad is making serious attempts to build on its green cover while keeping pace with rapid urbanisation.