May | 2018 | | Citizen Matters

Where goes the slum dweller evicted in Indian cities?

May 30, 2018 Navya P K

Slums are increasingly being evacuated in Indian cities, often violently, to make way for city ‘beautification’, smart cities and even book fairs. But no one tracks where the evicted poor go.

Problem is in the air: top five polluted Indian cities hold a mirror

May 28, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

The WHO database on the most globally polluted cities in 2016 shows that 14 out of the top 15 are Indian. What is the reason for the alarming contamination? Data for the top five polluted cities can give some insights.

Eight problems for new Mysuru MLAs to tackle

May 24, 2018 Bhamy Shenoy

Mysuru has works to be done. What are they?

Why we get the leaders that we deserve: A true story from the 90s

May 24, 2018 Bhamy Shenoy

Indian democracy will do well only when we learn to send the best candidate to represent us. Bhamy V Shenoy reveals why we are still a long way from that. Shenoy contested (and lost) the assembly elections in 1994.

How 6.5 tons of trash generated at an IPL match gets managed in Bengaluru

May 23, 2018 Seema Prasad

It takes more than hundred workers supported by volunteers to manage the trash generated by 40,000 avid spectators during each game. How did Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru do it?

Nipah virus: How to avoid infection and fever

May 23, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

Bats are being culled, every case of fever is scrutinised carefully. But the nation has one lab which certifies the cases of Nipah. What does a citizen need to know about Nipah?

Citizens condemn police violence against Thoothukudi protesters

May 23, 2018 News Desk

Several people have been killed and many others injured in Thoothukudi as police fired on protesters marching towards the Collectorate, demanding closure of a Sterlite copper smelting plant that has been allegedly flouting all environment norms.

Holding businesses accountable for plastic pollution: Clean-up and brand audits take place in key cities in India

May 21, 2018 News Desk

As a lead-up to World Environment Day on June 5, environmental justice groups and citizens are launching an unprecedented coordinated waste and brand audits in key cities in India. Scheduled from May 16 to May 30 in the

Can Bicycle Mayors help Indian cities?

May 21, 2018 Aruna Natarajan

When city planners cannot think like a cyclist, there comes a need to have a person who can give insights and perspectives. Bicycle Mayor is that person, and Bengaluru is going to have one.

Beauty products can be cheating, cruel, cancerous

May 18, 2018 Daksha Hathi

You get cheated by untrue promises of beauty products? You can get justice by the courts. But more worrying is the way the products are tested, and what goes into making them.

Lessons from Bengaluru citizens on how to have party-proof agendas

May 18, 2018 Meera K

There are many takeaways from the way citizens in Bengaluru have approached the elections this time, and that indeed is a practical approach in an era where voting is done on partylines.

Small-scale warfare

May 17, 2018 Deepa Mohan

On our way back from our nature/birding outing, I suddenly caught sight of a beetle and a snail, on a tiny twig. Seeing these two together isn’t very common, so I decided to photograph the

Karnataka Elections 2018: Results update

May 15, 2018 News Desk

Who is winning Karnataka? Parties, candidates and more. Catch all the action here, live!

Our city governments are very weak, completely at the mercy of the state: Yogendra Yadav

May 10, 2018 Meera K

The Swaraj India Party, founded by social scientist-turned-politician Yogendra Yadav is contesting the high profile Karnataka Assembly Elections, slated for May 12. In a candid conversation with Citizen Matters, Yadav talks of the party’s vision.

Looking beyond Red Fort: Is privatisation the only way to save our monuments?

May 8, 2018 Sujit Patwardhan

The adoption of the Red Fort by Dalmia Bharat has drawn flak from various sections of society. But it is not just about the Red Fort; the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme itself raises serious questions concerning preservation of monuments and urban heritage.

City Buzz: Air pollution crisis, Mumbai Development Plan and Kolkata’s shocking meat scandal

May 4, 2018 News Desk

A lot’s happening in our cities, are you missing something? Here’s a quick round-up of some of the recent, most important news from urban India.