May, 2019 Citizen Matters

Can Bhubaneswar’s smart city infrastructure withstand summer heat stress?

May 30, 2019 Basudev Mahapatra

Extreme heat stress caused by high ‘wet bulb temperatures’ and urban heat island effect come into play in Odisha’s capital, that is often the hottest city in the country during summers. But what do these terms imply, and how are they a threat to the upcoming smart city?

This World Menstrual Hygiene Day, let’s think of sustainable options

May 28, 2019 Odette Katrak

World Menstrual Hygiene Day is intended to focus on the millions of women worldwide without access to hygienic solutions during their monthly period. Today, we continue the focus, but with a changed track in the context of the global environment crisis.

Lok Sabha elections: Here’s how votes are counted to arrive at results

May 21, 2019 Rakesh Dubbudu

The wait for election results is nearly over. But how are the final numbers determined at the end of the mammoth democratic exercise? How is counting done? What happens if there is a discrepancy between VVPAT slips and EVMs? All your questions about counting of votes answered here

Dumping waste right into Bhagirathi: What Uttarkashi’s garbage problem tells us

May 21, 2019 Rishabh Shrivastava

Uttarakhand generates approximately 1406 Tons of solid waste per day and none of this is getting treated. It is high time we address this huge challenge faced by cities and towns of Himalayan Uttarakhand.

Contrary to 2018, Shimla has enough water today, but will it last?

May 20, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

In the summer of 2018, Shimla’s peak tourist season, not a drop flowed in the taps of the town for over a week and thousands of visitors had to leave. May 2019 has seen a remarkable reversal in the water situation, but can the town afford to be complacent?

Kolkata Uttar: BJP fights to unseat two-time MP from Trinamool

May 19, 2019 News Desk

Incumbent MP from Trinamool Congress Sudip Bandyopadhyay faces still challenge from Rahul Sinha who finished second at this north Kolkata constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. A complete overview of all candidates here

Water, connectivity and farmer crisis in focus, as fauji meets fauji in Shimla Lok Sabha contest

May 18, 2019 Ashwani Sharma

Both the Congress and BJP have fielded candidates with a military background, presumably in line with the national campaign theme of the BJP — that of nationalism and security — but voters in Shimla have more immediate concerns and demands that they want their MP to take up.

Jadavpur Lok Sabha candidates: Glamour vs political experience vs young blood

May 18, 2019 News Desk

It is one of the most prestigious parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal with a mix of urban voters from Kolkata city and semi urban voters from the peripheries. A popular cinema actor is pitted against a veteran of the Left party, while former Trinamool MP is in the fray as a BJP candidate. Know more about the contest here.

Kolkata Dakshin candidates: CPI(M) veteran vs Congress-turned-TMC candidate vs grand-nephew of Netaji

May 18, 2019 News Desk

A close look at candidates contesting the Kolkata Dakshin seat comprised of assembly segments in the southern part of the city

Now that the elections are nearly over, can we stop playing ‘Citizens For A Day’?

May 17, 2019 Kiran Hosakote

Elections always send Indians into a tizzy. Despite the poor track record of those contesting the elections, voters’ faith in them seems quite unwavering. Why is that so? Is it time to look inwards?

Fani aftermath: Civil society groups play key role in cyclone-ravaged Bhubaneswar

May 16, 2019 Basudev Mahapatra

While government disaster response teams focus on roads, electricity and other infrastructure, local community groups and volunteers try to mobilise residents to participate in the relief work being done in their localities, and especially the low income settlements.

Voters in my constituency have no specific issues: Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Trinamool candidate, Barasat

May 16, 2019 Sibendu Das

Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar is sitting Trinamool MP, recontesting the Barasat Lok Sabha constituency, which includes the high profile township of Rajarhat New Town, considered one of the IT hubs in Kolkata. A quick chat with her on employment, safety and other issues

Women’s safety is important but so is the overall safety of all citizens: Mimi Chakraborty, TMC candidate, Jadavpur

May 15, 2019 Sibendu Das

A quick chat with popular actor turned politician Mimi Chakraborty who has got the TMC ticket from the prestigious Jadavpur Lok Sabha seat in Kolkata.

Alarming spike in cancer incidence, yet Kolkata does little to control pollution

May 15, 2019 Gurvinder Singh

From flawed solid waste management to vehicular emissions, Kolkata’s abysmal quality of air has many causes. When will the government wake up?

Didi vs Modi spat has destroyed the political culture of Bengal: Nandini Mukherjee, CPM candidate, Kolkata South

May 15, 2019 Sibendu Das

Meet Nandini Mukherjee, 54-year-old veteran politician, computer scientist and professor, contesting the Kolkata South constituency as a candidate of the CPM. A party that governed Bengal for 34 years. A party whose election campaigns used to be a sight to behold. And a party that has almost zero presence in Bengal’s electoral map today. Do they really hope to win the city seat?