City: Mumbai

As one enters Day 2 Day Medical in Mazgaon, Byculla the huge pharmacy counter right at the back of the large store catches the eye. Three long aisles of all kinds of products -- packaged food, toiletries, cosmetics, and items of daily need -- separate the entrance from the counter, which has a large front that runs up to the ceiling. Upon this front are written the words, “He Cures, We Serve”. Day 2 Day Medical is one of several new format stores that have been proliferating in Mumbai all through the pandemic-induced lockdowns. “We actually have two branches of…

To report a criminal offence for the police to investigate, a person has to file a First Information Report (FIR) by visiting the nearest police station in the locality where the offence/crime has occurred. An FIR is a written document which is filed by the police. Under Section 154 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1973 (‘CrPC’), the law gives a choice to a person to give information orally or in writing. If the information is disclosed orally by a person, then the report must be produced in writing by the police officer herself or under her direction. In Mumbai city,…

Mumbai lost about 812 roots including 308 trees in public spaces within two days of the Tauktae cyclone that ravaged the city between May 16-17, said the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.  Since then, over a thousand trees fell in subsequent rains, according to Ramakant Biradar, deputy municipal commissioner (gardens). Activists warned that more trees will fall due to faulty policies such as allowing concretisation near tree bases, allowing construction of concrete structures to come up close to trees, following unscientific and improper pruning that endangers life of trees. Mumbai’s per capita tree cover is 0.28 or less than one tree for…

Property tax rates to spike 14% If a proposal by the Assessor and Collector Department (ACD) is approved by BMC, Mumbai’s property owners will have to pay higher taxes this year. The rate revision had been scheduled for 2020 but the civic body decided to delay it in lieu of the pandemic. The head of ACD told Indian Express that the revision will be implemented for ready reckoner rates which help to assess the true market value of properties. BMC officials have stated that this revision will not impact owners with properties up to 500 square feet and hotels registered…

Children are our present citizens and our future leaders. They have a right to their basic needs being met, to enjoy a safe, nurturing and healthy childhood. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is an important agreement, of which India is also a signatory. However, in practice, children’s rights are far from being met. I bring you experiences of three young adults, from different areas of Mumbai, which highlight the layered challenges of online education faced by young girls since the onset of the pandemic. Their personal development has been threatened due to several adverse factors.…

The Sunday gone by, 13th June, was the last Sunday in Mumbai before the restrictions of the past couple of months were lifted. In residential townships, away from the bustling markets, people have been going about their essential purchases in a relatively controlled manner. As lockdown eases, people are moving around more freely. With the monsoon already in, roadside vendors and small businesses are bouncing back, eager to make a living on every sunny day. Children want to meet their friends. We want to go out to the parks, to the shops, back to the office. Standing on the balcony…

If you are a parent hunting for ideas to keep your child engaged during the lockdown, consider introducing them to the city’s local histories through children's books.  Several authors and illustrators have dipped into Mumbai’s past to weave delightful tales that take children into various nooks and neighbourhoods.  Be Careful Bappa (2019), written by Vinitha and Kripa, is a book set in Lower Parel’s Peru Chawl. Through a day in the life of a boy named Raju, readers get to know about the history of the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav festival that occupies a significant place in the city’s social calendar thanks…

Thirty-year-old Raghu Kamble has been working as a garbage picker for high rises in Chembur, Tilak Nagar and surrounding areas for three years now. For him, every morning is the same. He routinely visits the  residential buildings at 9 AM — accompanied by nothing but a flimsy surgical mask for protection from the deadly virus looming over Mumbai city.  According to statistics released by Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh, over 6,500 contract workers in sanitation have been working throughout the pandemic without safety gear like Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) or hazard pay. By mid-May, Maharashtra had seen no less than 30,000 new…

Twelve killed in building collapse Mumbai Paused A three-storey unofficial structure collapsed in Malad West's Malwani slum area. The man who built the house and rented the rooms out. Twelve people have died in the tragedy, including nine members of his own family. Eight children were victims of the fall. A person from the slum told Indian Express that one part of the structure was built on top of a rat infested nullah which developed cracks over the past week. Mumbai Police has ordered the PWD to conduct a thorough audit across the neighbourhood and identify similar buildings. Meanwhile, BMC…

In the last week of May, a 42-year-old male reached out to mental health experts at BMC's helpline for help. He was sorrowful and was feeling demoralised, he said. “He said that for two-three days he has been hearing news about his neighbours and extended families either falling sick or dying due to the coronavirus," said, Dr. Shubhangi Parkar, a city-based psychiatrist and a former head of the psychiatry department, KEM Hospital. "With all the negativity around, he had completely lost hope in life,” she added. Representational Image (Pic: Canva) Many citizens who are undergoing mental health issues due to…