Articles by News Desk

At Citizen Matters, we recently published an article by our reporter Gangadharan B, addressing the increased dust pollution caused by Namma Metro construction in Bengaluru. The report explored how certain mitigation measures are not being followed at Namma Metro construction sites, affecting air quality and taking a toll on public health. The report also raised questions on whether the air quality in the construction sites is monitored regularly as per the suggestions of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. While multiple attempts were made to reach out to Bengaluru Metro Rail Construction Limited (BMRCL) before publishing the article, we did…

Poor crowd management blamed for Maha Kumbh stampede The Maha Kumbh Mela stampede in the early hours of January 29th in Prayagraj led to at least 30 deaths and 60 people being injured. Large crowds flocked to the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh, on Mauni Amavasya, a day considered auspicious for the ritual dip. There were about 10 crore pilgrims.  Just a few hours later, another stampede-like situation three kilometres away at Jhusi resulted in deaths of at least seven, including a child, said police sources. Strangely, the authorities remained silent about this incident.  Uttar Pradesh authorities drafted guidelines on…

22,January 2025, New Delhi: Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC), along with City Sabha, Raahgiri Foundation, and Safetipin, announced the launch of the Delhi Sustainable Mobility Charter, or the Dilli Charter, under the Sustainable Mobility Network — a citizen-driven initiative to reimagine Delhi’s transport system and demand actionable solutions for improving urban mobility, combating air pollution, and fostering inclusivity. Delhi is home to over 33.8 million people—a bustling, historically rich and complex city. Lately, however, this home has increasingly become uninhabitable for many. From suffocating air pollution to rising heatwaves, crumbling transport systems, and unsafe public spaces, the very essence…

Draft policy for affordable transport Major reforms are needed to address urban mobility challenges, according to the citizen’s draft policy for affordable public transport by Greenpeace India and the Public Transport Forum. The policy was developed by consulting experts and citizens. The policy document recommends universal fare-free transport through “climate tickets,” improved investment in public transport infrastructure and more inclusivity in workforce policies. The main issues that need to be tackled include inadequate bus services, underfunding and overemphasis on road expansion. The draft police recommended Road infrastructure funds can be reallocated to public transport, which could double city bus fleets,…

Over 200 Olive Ridley turtles die in Chennai A high-level review meeting is scheduled for January 20 to discuss the alarming rise in the deaths of Olive Ridley turtles in Chennai. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued notices to the Tamil Nadu fisheries and forest departments over the carcasses of the endangered species found on the city beaches. Almost 40 Olive Ridley turtles perished on January 15, the highest number of deaths recorded on a single night between Marina and Neelankarai beaches. Ten more were found between Neelankarai and Kovalam on the same night.  By January 16, the Students Sea…

Precautions against HMPV across Indian cities In Gandhinagar, Ahmedabad and Rajkot civil hospitals, isolation wards have been created as precautionary measures against the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV). Just a day earlier, the State government revealed that a two-month-old boy had been admitted with the infection. In Mumbai too, a six-month-old was admitted to a hospital after testing positive for the virus. A respiratory virus infection was reported in Bengaluru too. Sources said that HMPV affects the upper and lower respiratory tracts and is a risk to all vulnerable groups, including young children, the elderly and those with weak immune systems.  …

Ridership shoots up in Chennai, Kochi Metros Chennai Metro Rail's patronage increased by 1.41 crore in 2024, with 10.52 crore using it, compared to 9.11 crore in the previous year. The ridership is nearly one-third of the total 35.53 crore passengers using Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) services for more than nine years since June 29, 2015. While the ridership for CMRL to break even was 4.33 lakh per day in its initial three years since June 29, 2015, the Chennai Metro catered to only 2.8 crore till December 31, 2018. Meanwhile, the Kochi Metro set a new monthly ridership…

Chennai lakes to become drinking water sources The Chennai Water Resources Department (WRD) plans to transform the city’s lakes into drinking water sources to cater to the fast-growing population. It plans to add 21 tmcft of storage capacity, including rainwater storage capacity, create new reservoirs, expand and interlink water bodies, and improve water flow. Chennai's six reservoirs, with a capacity of 13.213 tmcft, are currently catering to the city's needs. However, according to official sources, this is below the annual drinking and industrial water demand of 24 tmcft, which is expected to rise to 34 tmcft by 2035. Discussions are…

Air quality deteriorates in Indian cities For the fifth consecutive day on December 20th, Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) remained severe at 429. However, this was an improvement from the ‘severe plus’ AQI of 451 on December 19th, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). It had been 445 the previous day. The AQI crossed this level on November 19th, reaching 460, as reported by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The IMD states that the severe AQI situation is primarily due to meteorological conditions, such as extremely calm winds that trap particulate matter and prevent pollutants from dispersing. On…

Bellandur Lake, Bengaluru’s largest water body, has been at the heart of an ambitious rejuvenation project since 2020. However, persistent delays, severe funding shortages, and inadequate planning have left citizens increasingly frustrated. Time is slipping away, and without immediate government intervention, this critical environmental project risks failing. A recent meeting with government bodies shed light on the project’s stagnation and the urgent steps required to salvage it. Progress so far Desilting Work: Of the estimated 32.33 lakh cubic meters of silt, 22.69 lakh cubic meters (70%) have been removed, leaving 30% unfinished Early monsoons and slushy conditions have delayed progress…