Himanshu Upadhyaya Citizen Matters

Urban Local Bodies in Karnataka still waiting for crores due to them

October 21, 2020 Himanshu Upadhyaya and Abhishek Punetha

Not only were PRIs and ULBs deprived of grants worth crores, authorities in Karnataka government also failed to get these grants released from the Centre, say CAG auditors.

The many warnings that Pune ignored before it went under water this September

October 4, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

Intense September rainfall over a couple of days devastated large parts of Pune, causing loss to life and property and exposing the unpreparedness of the city authorities. Yet, the writing on the wall had been clear for some time and called out by both environmentalists and lay citizens.

When crocodiles roamed city streets: The real reason behind Vadodara floods

August 16, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

Yet another city, yet another time. A tale of how callous city administration ignored repeated warnings and saw Vadodara go under water following spells of intense rainfall over a day this monsoon.

No tenders advertised for work worth Rs 662 crore on Gomti river front project: CAG audit

March 18, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

The Gomti Riverfront Development Project in Lucknow, long mired in controversy over irregular dealings, has invited scathing criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General. Will the CBI and ED take cognisance of these audit findings and seek help from the auditors in evidence-gathering?

Why Karnataka cities are struggling to manage waste: DPRs may hold answers

January 10, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

DPRs, or Detailed Project Reports, prepared according to Swachh Bharat Mission guidelines, should form the base for planning and execution of SWM in urban local bodies. Find out what the CAG says about them in its performance audit report.

Why this CAG report should jolt urban municipalities in Karnataka

January 3, 2019 Himanshu Upadhyaya

Ineffective plastic ban, flawed collection and handling of e-waste, unauthorised slaughter houses — these and more findings from the CAG’s recent performance audit of solid waste management by urban local bodies in Karnataka paint a sad picture.

Murky Metro: CAG auditors point out irregularities in the way Jaipur Metro was launched

September 28, 2018 Himanshu Upadhyaya

Flouted guidelines, inadequate groundwork and hazy dealings: A look at the grey areas and violations for which the CAG has pulled up the Jaipur Metro and accused it of pushing through a ‘financially unviable’ project that has hardly benefitted commuters.

Whose cities are these and how smart will they be?

July 4, 2018 Himanshu Upadhyaya

A new report from policy think tank, Housing and Land Rights Network, has strongly criticised the Smart Cities Mission for neglecting the rights and concerns of the poor and marginalised. A look at what the report recommends for truly inclusive cities.