CITIZEN JOURNALISM

Recent media reports have highlighted the presence of bacterial contamination in drinking water samples collected from several locations in the Bhagirathpura area, Indore. The reports point to a few possible reasons: leakages from nearby septic tanks, soak pits, sewage pipes or drains, and poor septic tank design. Other possible causes could be ageing and corroded water pipes, and cracks or leakages in the distribution network.  However, intermittent water supply is also one of the most critical factors behind such incidents. In these systems, pipelines are often empty or partially filled, and may operate under negative pressure at certain times. These…

As commercial development along Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) has surged, reliable public transport has become essential. Yet, daily commuters, labourers, office workers, college and school students, and Resident Welfare Association (RWA) staff continue to grapple with limited access to Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) buses. For many, reaching bus stops on the main road is a daunting task, especially since interior localities remain underserved and private operators like share autos rarely venture into these areas. The absence of adequate bus stops and the restricted MTC service forces residents into long, difficult journeys. The worst-affected by this lack of last-mile connectivity are…

At the heart of a nation’s character lies how it treats its most vulnerable. Today, India finds its soul stretched on a rack, its conscience torn between compassion and conflict, its legal pillars wobbling under the weight of a single, heartbreaking issue: the fate of its street dogs. What began as a Supreme Court suo moto hearing on August 11th has morphed into a national referendum on empathy, duty, and coexistence, exposing a deep, painful schism. Two sides Caregivers and animal lovers: They follow Animal Birth Control (ABC) and Catch-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (CNVR). Their goal is to reduce dog populations and rabies…

Street vending represents a unique form of business in which the vendor's day begins and ends on the street. Vendors typically toil from dawn until late at night, often for 12 to 14 hours a day, yet many continue to remain economically vulnerable. Poor economic conditions prevailing between 1980 and 2010 forced a large number of individuals to drop out of school, compelling them to take up street vending of various goods as a means of survival. Today, India is home to nearly 10 million street vendors, accounting for about 15 per cent of urban informal employment. Recognising their contribution…

Across Bengaluru, it is common to see abandoned photos and idols of deities left under sacred trees, near parks, or outside temples. Does this sight disturb you? It bothered us deeply to see these divine symbols—once the centre of our homes—left to become soiled, discoloured, and neglected. What is even more distressing is that most of these items eventually end up in landfills. We felt that this needed to change. Such items deserve a respectful farewell, and the needless waste of valuable resources must come to an end. So, what's the solution? The journey Our journey began with a pilot…

Across megacities, workers in gated communities are subjected to checks at entry and exit points. Often excessive and intrusive, these include bag searches, confiscation of items without a gate pass, and, in some cases, pat-downs of workers — practices justified as deterrents against theft. During an anonymous survey, we spoke to 20–30 residents and domestic workers across Bengaluru, and a few communities in Chennai and Mumbai. Respondents across these cities reported “visual cues” of suspicious behaviour that corresponded with these searches. While respondents in the surveys reported no pat-downs in their communities, some employers and domestic workers informally flagged pat-downs…

செங்கல்பட்டு மாவட்டம், திருப்போரூர் மற்றும் திருக்கழுக்குன்றம் வட்டங்களுக்குட்பட்ட வருவாய் கிராமங்களில், இயற்கையாக அமைந்துள்ள கழுவேலி, உப்பங்கழி நீர்நிலையில், புதிய குடிநீர் நீர்த்தேக்கம் அமைக்க CRZ அனுமதி வழங்கியுள்ளது மாநில கடற்கரை ஒழுங்குமுறை மண்டல ஆணையம். இத்திட்டத்தின் முதல் கட்டத்தில் நெம்மேலி, கிருஷ்ணகாரனை, தண்டலம், பட்டிபுலம், திருப்போரூர், மாமல்லபுரம், சலுவான்குப்பம், பையனூர் ஆகிய வருவாய் கிராமங்களுக்குட்பட்ட 4375 ஏக்கர் பரப்பளவில் வருவாய்த்துறை, நீர்வளத்துறைக்குச் சொந்தமான இடங்களில் நீர்த்தேக்கம் அமைக்கத் திட்டமிடப்பட்டுள்ளது. 1.655TMC கொள்ளளவு கொண்ட இந்நீர்த்தேக்கம் மேற்கூறிய கிராமங்களைச் சேர்ந்த 50 ஆயிரத்துக்கும் மேற்பட்ட மக்களின் குடிநீர்த் தேவையைப் பூர்த்தி செய்யும் எனவும் அருகாமை கிராமங்களின் வெள்ள பாதிப்பைக் குறைக்கும் எனவும் அரசுத் தரப்பில் கூறப்படுகிறது. Map showing components of the Kovalam reservoir. Pic courtesy: Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department. இத்திட்டத்திற்கான விண்ணப்பத்தை 17.11.2025 அன்று  தொழில் நுட்ப  வல்லுநர் குழு பரிசீலித்தது. 20.11.2025 அன்று  மாநில கடற்கரை  மண்டல ஆணையம் விண்ணப்பத்தைை பரிசீலித்து CRZ அனுமதிக்கு பரிந்துரைக்கிறது.…

Chandivali is a rapidly developing, upscale residential and commercial suburb in Andheri East, with both business hubs and green spaces such as the Powai Lake. It is close to the neighbourhoods of Powai, Saki Naka and Vikhroli. Many long-pending civic issues in the locality need the attention of the municipal authorities, and the residents of Chandivali have been demanding infrastructure development in the area. As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election approaches, we reiterate our demand for better roads and improved civic facilities. Since founding the Chandivali Citizens Welfare Association (CCWA) in 2017, we have consistently raised and reported numerous…

For over two decades, residents along Chennai's Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have been fed a steady diet of promises about piped water supply. From desalination plants to reservoirs, successive governments have announced grand projects that would finally quench the IT corridor's thirst. Yet, as of January 2026, OMR residents are still struggling with inadequate piped water and are forced to rely on expensive private tankers or depleted groundwater that grows more brackish each year. The original promise It began with hope. In July 2004, the then Finance Minister, P Chidambaram, announced central government support for a desalination plant near Chennai.…

If Mumbaikars can gather for festivals, political rallies and celebrations, can they not rally for the right to breathe? That question and a sense of growing frustration and urgency were what led to the formation of the Human Chain for Clean Air — a citizen-driven movement demanding urgent government intervention. For weeks, the AQI in Mumbai has crossed hazardous levels, affecting children, senior citizens and working professionals alike. Each of us has been noticing that people around us are constantly coughing, children are falling sick frequently, and senior citizens are struggling to walk without breathlessness. I realised that instead of…