CITIZEN JOURNALISM

It has been over two years since the State government notified the rules under the Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act Rules, 2023, which establish regulations for the functioning of Area Sabhas and Ward Sabhas throughout the state. However, no information is available or being maintained in the public domain by any of the Urban Local Governments (ULGs) or the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) to track the functioning of these Area Sabhas. We at Voice of People, have repeatedly appealed for transparency by petitioning the State government.  Read more: Area Sabhas and Ward Committees: Power to…

A lake is not just a body of water, it is an ecosystem. Action Aid Association India organised a survey to document the biodiversity of Dorekere, a lake in South Bengaluru. The biodiversity survey was funded by the Australian Consulate in Chennai. It not only documented several species but highlighted the importance of such an activity in understanding whether Bengaluru lakes are being developed in an ecologically sound manner. Dorekere is a 28-acre lake in the Uttarahalli suburb of South Bengaluru. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) currently manages the lake. Earlier, it came under the purview of the Karnataka…

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme designates October as the month to raise awareness about urban sustainability and related challenges. Known as 'Urban October,' it begins with World Habitat Day on the first Monday of October and concludes with World Cities Day on October 31. This period is apt for revisiting the aim of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), which is to 'make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.'  Currently, more than half of the global population lives in urban areas, up from around one-third in 1950 and projected to increase to around…

It's wonderful to come back to Bengaluru. When you land in Terminal 2, you feel you are in one of the world's best airports, one that's aesthetically pleasing, modern, but in line with our cultural ethos. The weather is amazing and I always love the warmth of India when I am back here. However, once you make that road trip from Devanahalli airport to Sarjapur, your back tells you that something is not right. Especially if you do the last leg from Sarjapur road  — Dommasandra to Chambenahalli stretch. Whitefield and Marathahalli are fully built up and techies are now…

Peenya Industrial Area, one of Bengaluru's oldest industrial hubs, is facing a significant challenge — rising urban temperatures exacerbated by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect. The aggregated maximum Land Surface Temperature for the first 8 months increased from 43 ℃ in 2023 to 46 ℃ in 2024, as derived from the ECOSTRESS sensor. This phenomenon, in which urban areas experience higher temperatures than their rural counterparts, is particularly pronounced in Peenya. The area’s industrial growth, coupled with a lack of green cover and the prevalent use of heat-absorbing materials, has made it one of the hottest zones in the…

In July 2024, the Bengaluru Film Forum, in collaboration with Goethe Institute, commemorated the birth anniversary of the Indo-German filmmaker Harun Farocki, with a three-day festival. Harun Farocki was a celebrated filmmaker with an expansive body of work. With a career spanning over five decades, Farocki made intellectually stimulating thematic films on labour, war, and cityscapes in modern, post-industrial environments. His filmmaking style ranged from "fly on the wall" to "observational" to "direct." The festival showcased over 15 of his films, many from Goethe's film archives and a few directly sourced from the Harun Farocki estate in Germany. This is indeed…

As India experiences economic growth, the accompanying rise in motorisation and vehicular traffic brings a heightened risk of road crash injuries and fatalities. With two-wheelers dominating Indian roads (these comprise 75% of all registered vehicles), the safety of their riders, particularly children, becomes paramount. Road crashes often stem from non-compliance with traffic rules, inadequate infrastructure, and lack of safety gear, with helmets being a critical yet frequently overlooked safety aspect. In Tamil Nadu, two-wheelers accounted for the highest fatalities (44.22%) in 2023. Around 29.9% of these fatalities were attributed to non-compliance with helmet usage. According to the World Health Organization…

In July, some members of the Valmiki Nagar Residents Group wanted to address the problem of overgrown trees, support newly planted saplings, prune trees along the avenues, and curb the growth of invasive species. A few of us at the Association thought it would be a good idea to form a smaller committee to research and supervise the growth of trees, the different species in the area, and their proper care. Read more: Heritage tree walk sheds light on Chennai’s finest trees Through our research on the trees in the area, we developed an inventory of around 70 trees. We…

On October 16, 2015, I came across a newspaper photo that left me aghast — women performing Chhath Puja in the frothing Yamuna River. Chhath Puja is an important festival for Hindus in Uttar Pradesh, beginning and ending with a dip in a water body. This festival is known to be one of the most eco-friendly celebrations among Hindus, involving rituals performed in natural settings, using natural materials, and respecting the environment. However, the sight of the river submerged in toxicity starkly contrasted with the nurtured love and respect for divinity in its natural form. The river languished in a…

"Inconvenience today for a better tomorrow" — this saying resonates as we navigate the streets of Perumbakkam, a reminder that the ongoing Metro Rail construction work promises progress. But when it comes to saving lives, that inconvenience becomes a serious concern that demands immediate attention. In Perumbakkam, the sound of an ambulance siren has become a haunting reminder of a persistent and growing problem. Instead of speeding through traffic, these emergency vehicles often find themselves trapped — immobilised in a gridlock of cars, school buses, and construction barriers. What should be a quick dash to the hospital often turns into…