October | 2020 | Citizen Matters

From 630 to 122: Where did Ahmedabad’s lakes disappear?

October 19, 2020 Darshan Desai

A study of land-use patterns, through Landsat images from 1974 to 2017, has revealed that water bodies in Ahmedabad have been shrinking at a decadal rate of 1.57 square km.

City Buzz: Hyderabad floods | COVID-19 vaccine in a few months | The top biomedical waste generator….and more

October 17, 2020 News Desk

A recap of important urban updates across the country over the past week

The challenges before Delhi’s ‘Happiness’ teachers, during COVID and otherwise

October 15, 2020 Kriti Gupta

The Happiness Curriculum was introduced in Delhi government schools in 2018. A recent research project tells us how teachers have been faring, before and during the pandemic.

How RWAs in Gurugram are showing the way out of urban India’s waste crisis

October 14, 2020 Rahul Khera

Decentralized waste management systems could be an effective solution to the complex waste management challenge in our cities. An expert from Gurugram explains why and how.

Delhi’s pollution response plan key to flattening its winter COVID curve

October 13, 2020 Sri Krishna

Uncontrolled pollution leads to severe respiratory problems, which could worsen the COVID-19 situation. Can the government’s response plan, with its 10-member high-tech war room, prevent that?

City Buzz: Delhi plan to fight pollution | A dhaba that went viral | Women’s safety in Kolkata…and more

October 10, 2020 News Desk

A recap of key urban news from the week that just passed.

Rediscover Delhi and its rich heritage through tree walks

October 9, 2020 Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

Tree walks and nature trails have found a growing audience in Delhi where urban citizens are keen to connect with natural surroundings.

Shimla’s old tunnels are crying for attention; planned ones in limbo

October 8, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Maintenance of its British-era tunnels and creation of new ones could be effective solutions to mobility challenges in the hill town. But clearly, government priorities lie elsewhere.

Shortage of oxygen a big challenge for Pune hospitals; here’s how they are coping

October 7, 2020 Ambika Shaligram

As active cases increase in Pune and neighbouring districts, the state is diverting industrial oxygen to hospitals. But demand in Pune alone has risen three times!

Why your local park or sports stadium is ‘critical infrastructure’ for the city

October 6, 2020 Dhanya Rajagopal

Urban public spaces are generally not recognised for much beyond their real estate or recreational value. Yet globally, their potential in crisis or emergency situations is increasingly evident.

City Buzz: Hathras protests | Unlock 5 guidelines released | COVID vaccine updates… and more

October 5, 2020 News Desk

From Hathras Protests to Unlock 5, catch what’s making news in our cities in this edition of our Buzz.

Why we need to remember Gandhi in order to make our cities better

October 3, 2020 Revathi Siva Kumar

At a webinar titled ‘Gandhi and Cities’, four experts discussed how the Mahatma, despite his usual reticence on cities per se, has so much to teach us about inclusive and effective urban management.

What construction workers in Delhi fear the most: Another sudden lockdown

October 2, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

The hardest hit by COVID-19 were small contractors, employing five-six workers, mostly migrants, who fled the capital during March-May and are now hesitant to return.

COVID-19 has put the spotlight on mental health, but India needs more

October 1, 2020 Ronald Yesudhas

COVID-19 has spawned a growing mental health crisis that can only be addressed by stepping up the availability and access to quality mental health services.