Articles by Sherine Raj

“When travelling by the local train, sometimes we hear loud and long train horns followed by an announcement stating - on duty stretcher personnel please report to the station master's office - this indicates that something unpleasant has happened and the injured will be attended by the concerned trained railway staff,” says Vidya K, a regular commuter of the Mumbai local trains. The bustling railway platforms of the Mumbai suburban railway system bear witness to numerous incidents of medical emergencies. With a vast number of commuters using the local train network, some or the other health crises are common on…

“I had sleepless nights for months, even now when I recall those days, I feel uneasy,” says Neelam Lilaramani, a senior citizen residing in Goregaon - a suburb of Mumbai. Last year, as she was scrolling through her Facebook app, she stumbled upon an advertisement for a dress that she liked. She added her address, checked for payment details, and chose the ‘cash on delivery’ option to avoid any unwanted online scams - and then clicked ‘buy’. A few days later, when the parcel arrived, she wasn't at home. On his third attempt, the delivery person handed the parcel, Neelam…

Every year the new academic year begins June and July for most colleges. However, this year, it's not the usual reopening of institutes. Students, parents as well as educators are busy understanding the possible implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in Mumbai. Much of this uncertainty and confusion is expected to clear up in the coming weeks. As per the NEP 2020, schools must implement 5+3+3+4 years of education system. However, the Maharashtra State Board, announced that the 10th and 12th standard board exams i.e. the (10+2) system will continue till the academic year 2024-2025. This rules out any…

For more than eight years, food waste has been the main contributor towards the 6300+ metric tonnes of trash that Mumbai generates every single day. The food waste, that includes fruits, vegetables, plant waste, dairy products, grains, egg shells, meat, newspapers, is called wet waste, which is bio-degradable, that is, it’s capable of getting decomposed naturally. Food waste comprises of more than 70% of the total waste each year, says the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)’s latest Environment Status Report (ESR). Decentralising of waste - managing the waste at its source instead of taking it to landfills - is the ’need…

Earlier this month, when 48-year-old Pralhad Kale parked his rickshaw near his residence in Ambujwadi, he noticed an unattended shovel kept on the road next to a hole that was being dug. When he picked it up and kept it aside, a police constable came swaggering, assuming that Kale was the man digging the hole as he looked like a member of the Pardhi community and snapped at him saying, “Just by looking at your face I can tell the number of criminal cases registered against you.”  Pralhad felt infuriated but controlled his anger and informed the cop that he…

In the past few years, the proposed Metro-3 car shed and subsequent tree felling in the Aarey forest has made headlines and people's fight to save the remaining trees continues even now. Historically, as Mumbai’s concrete jungle around the forested area exploded along with rising pollution levels, Aarey emerged as the city’s oasis for biodiversity and its ‘last green lungs’. It is a popular destination for cyclists, joggers, bird watchers, nature enthusiasts, and picnickers looking for a few hours of nature's company. According to environmentalist Stalin D, in the earlier days, the concept of institutions was not a concrete jungle.…

After a steady reduction from 2017 to 2020, the city witnessed an increase in waste collection from 5500 Metric Tonnes per day (MTD) in 2020-21 to 6300 MTD in 2021-22, says a report released by Praja Foundation. The highest contributor is wet (food) waste which comprises 73% of the total garbage collected at the landfills. The report on the status of civic issues in Mumbai, highlighted challenges in solid waste management, sewerage and water bodies. Moreover, due to the deteriorating sanitisation facilities, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failed the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) 5-Star Rating of 'Garbage Free Cities' in…

On April 28, the villagers of Aarey Colony’s Prajapurpada village woke up to the piercing loud noise and the vibration of chainsaws as they witnessed hundreds of trees being cut down behind the barricades set up by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. (MMRCL) for Metro-3 car shed. A huge police force, wood cutters and officials from the MMRCL began gathering at the project site around 5:30 am and felled more than 500 trees, claim locals and activists, even though they had permission to cut only 177.   They also alleged manipulation in the numbering of the trees that were the…