News | Citizen Matters

In Pune, citizens and corporate groups help reach aid to the ones worst hit by lockdown

March 29, 2020 Ekta Joshi

In Pune, as in other cities, daily wage earners, migrant labourers and senior citizens are among those who are worst hit by the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. A look at how social and corporate organisations are helping them survive these difficult times.

Little relief for these migrant labourers as they stare at a long, hard struggle ahead

March 28, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Caught between the devil and the deep sea, migrant workers in the Kausambi area of NCR, which falls in UP, face a stark choice: stay put and starve or get home somehow, which for most is 700 km away.

COVID-19: Number of infected on the rise, but are their contacts being traced?

March 28, 2020 Navya P K

A critical step in containing coronavirus is contact tracing — identifying anyone who came in contact with an infected person, quarantining and monitoring them. But across Indian states, there seem to be significant discrepancies in the way this is being done.

Caremongers, a citizen-led group has joined hands with local authorities and delivery services in several cities to ensure that help is offered to those in need. Recently, Dunzo has come forward to support their initiative. Pic: Caremongers Facebook Page

COVID-19: Here’s how you can help those in need, financially or otherwise

March 27, 2020 Ekta Sawant

Several individuals and groups have come together to offer help to the poor and vulnerable in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. We have put together a list of some initiatives that you may wish to support and join, to help them.

With Disaster Management Act in place, shall we finally get respite from fake news on COVID-19?

March 27, 2020 Harsha Raj Gatty

Think twice before you share something on social media. Fake claims and warnings may attract imprisonment of up to one year or a fine under Sections 52 and 54 of the Disaster Management Act (DMA), 2005, which has been invoked during the 21-day nationwide lockdown in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19 virus.

16 ways to volunteer from home during the COVID lockdown

March 26, 2020 Rinku Mecheri

More often than not, volunteers are people who are lead from the front on ground zero, setting a trail for others to follow. However, with a lockdown imposed for 21 days, how can people still pitch in to volunteer for the causes they hold dear?

Stuck with kids in quarantine? Here are a few things to keep them busy with

March 26, 2020 Manasi Paresh Kumar

A list of online resources to keep kids engaged as they spend time indoors

Op-ed: City governments and citizens hold the key to beating COVID

March 25, 2020 Tarun Sharma

The current narrative around COVID in India has established the Centre and states as the main actors battling the pandemic. However, cities have been the epicenters of action and local governments play a pivotal role in mitigating the crisis. And of course, the choices made by citizens are going to determine the outcomes we see in the coming weeks.

Another 21 days! Stay productive with these work-from-home tips

March 25, 2020 Sandhya Raju

Every employee finds it challenging to work from home. To stay motivated sans office environment requires utmost dedication. Read this guide to know how to make the best of this opportunity.

Coronavirus relief for the economy: What the Centre can and should do

March 24, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Citizen Matters shares the recommendations of two experts on the immediate steps that the Centre can take to provide relief to those whose income has dried up because of the virus outbreak.

Updated list of coronavirus testing centres across India (Updated daily)

March 24, 2020 Bhavani Prabhakar

Find the latest list of ICMR-accredited testing laboratories, both government and private, here.

How digitisation has silenced the typists on their Remingtons outside Calcutta High Court

March 24, 2020 Gurvinder Singh

Once ubiquitous outside the Calcutta High Court, today only around 25 typists operate on the footpath outside the Court. But with increasing digitization, they too will soon fade away.

A deeper look into Kerala’s 20,000-crore relief package to beat COVID blues

March 24, 2020 N V Ravindranathan Nair

With the economy on the verge of collapse, the state government has taken three immediate steps: cash relief to BPL families, a consumer loan scheme to be managed by women, and a push for rural employment guarantee schemes.

Pandemic response must not forget the poor and homeless: Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Mumbai

March 23, 2020 News Desk

The Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Mumbai has written to the Government of Maharashtra to put in place a comprehensive strategy for controlling the spread of the coronavirus based on human rights principles, strengthening of public health care and mitigation of the adverse impact on the poor and marginalized.

How to keep your children safe in the times of COVID-19

March 23, 2020 Laasya Shekhar

The probability of children getting affected by the dreaded coronavirus is less than that of older adults. However, necessary precautions should still be taken. Young children must also be reassured in these times of anxiety. Here is an explainer on how to protect children and keep them engaged.

With many lapses in self isolation, Punjab braces for spurt in coronavirus positives

March 22, 2020 Raj Machhan

In cities and towns across the state, individuals exposed to the virus and eventually found to be infected refused to go into quarantine, and came in contact with hundreds, reveals the contact tracing exercise.

City Buzz: Mumbai-Goa expressway | Bengal civic polls deferred | Water contamination in Ludhiana…and more

March 22, 2020 News Desk

Predictably, it has been the COVID-19 pandemic that has been on top of everyone’s minds this week. But here are some other important news that you may have missed.

Work from home, financial worries, fatigue: How to cope with stress created by COVID-19

March 22, 2020 Deepa Vaishnavi V M

Isolation. Messy working conditions. Gruelling days for people in the medical profession. Continuing our conversation with leading psychiatrist Dr Kalyanasundaram S, we look at how people can cope with these peculiar circumstances that have become the order of the day.

COVID-19: “Community spread could lead to proportional rise in mental illness cases”

March 21, 2020 Deepa Vaishnavi V M

In all the noise about social distancing, testing and fatalities, mental well-being of society receives relatively less attention, though it is one of the foremost challenges in public health as the coronavirus pandemic takes over our lives. Leading psychiatrist Dr Kalyanasundaram S talks about the risks, mitigation and how to cope with stress in times of this new normal.

COVID-19 updates (Updated daily): India stares at a stark human tragedy as migrant labourers trudge homeward

March 21, 2020 News Desk

Stay with us here, where we bring you fresh updates daily from around the country on the latest numbers, policies and other key observations from our cities as we fight COVID-2019 together!