CITIZEN JOURNALISM

As election fever peaks in India, public attention is typically focussed on top leaders and the race for power in high profile urban constituencies. At Citizen Matters, our election coverage has been designed to cut through unnecessary noise and empower readers with whatever they need to make informed electoral decisions. To that end, we encourage reportage on real issues within constituencies and the roles and performance of elected representatives and candidates. Earlier this year, Oorvani Foundation had collaborated with Youth ki Awaaz to host a Civic Journalism Training Programme, where young aspiring citizen journalists attended discussions and workshops on governance,…

As Bengaluru struggles with an ongoing water crisis, it reports a shortage of about 500 million litres of water every day. The significant water problem in the city is frequently blamed on insufficient rainfall, unregulated groundwater exploitation, and environmental negligence. However, it is essential to investigate water contamination, notably from sewage and industrial effluents, as a major cause of the water crisis. The focus then moves to Shivpura Lake in the Peenya Industrial Area.  Although a key industrial area, Peenya is neglected, as evidenced by its poor infrastructure and pollution issues. Shivpura Lake, in particular, is contaminated by the surrounding…

Everyone in Mumbai is eager to know who their MP (Member of Parliament) will be in the next few weeks. And so am I. I'm Anmol Tiwari I'm from Natraj Chawl, Kranti Nagar, Kandivali East Mumbai. Kranti Nagar is located on the periphery of the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivali, on the slope of a hill. While in other parts of Mumbai, when one looks out of their window, they see the ocean, highrises, green spaces and more, in Kranti Nagar, I open my windows to see narrow lanes, congested houses, a mix of greenery and garbage.  As…

Part 4: The plague of the ‘asuras’ Lesson learnt: None yet for we don't know from where or rather how so many caterpillars descended on us! In the second part of the series, I described how the Muplis beetles had invaded our home. As if we didn’t have enough on our plates with the beetles turning up every year. For a few seasons we had the added joy of seeing caterpillars contend with the Muplis for the top spot of insects we never wanted to see again. And these are not butterfly caterpillars, which I discussed in the third part…

It’s summer, and did we forget about the yearly floods again? Last December’s disastrous tryst with monsoons and flooding is not new to the city but often washed away with the city’s other priorities. Throughout its history, Chennai has faced a range of disasters, both related to climate and other factors. Over time, the incidence of such calamities, particularly floods and droughts, has escalated, significantly impacting the city and its people, economy, and infrastructure. What the city needs is strategic urban planning, efficient water management and collaborative governance to mitigate flooding. Chennai must also be prepared to effectively respond to…

I’ve lived in Bangalore since 2005; whenever visiting friends want me to take them to Bangalore Palace, I chuckle and confess I haven’t been there myself. We’ve all experienced living in a city whose joys and woes we haven’t fully explored. Guided walks can help us connect more deeply with our cities when familiarity might have bred contempt or, simply, blindness. It was to help residents deepen their understanding of Panaji, Goa’s administrative capital, and to visualise possible futures for Panaji, that Transitions Research, in collaboration with the Travelling Dome, organised guided walks on Friday, 15th March and Sunday, 17th…

Any pet parent will tell you that dogs need a safe space where they can be free and get their requisite daily exercise. Leashed walks can fulfil only a part of their exercise requirement. Especially dogs belonging to larger breeds are more energetic and need to run free to expend their energy and to grow and develop well. This is especially difficult in a city like Mumbai where traffic concerns and the territorial nature of street dogs makes it impossible for pet parents to let their dogs off the leash even for a moment. My German Shepherd herself has developed…

The Cauvery River is located 100 kilometres away from Bengaluru, 350 metres lower than the city’s elevation. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has to spend approximately Rs. 3 crores per day as electricity charges to pump the water over such long distances. The city’s dependence on Cauvery as its primary water source prompted us to analyse this issue at the recently held 'Bengaluru Water Datajam', held by Opencity.in. Since the extraction of water from the Cauvery is recent (just 50 years ago), how did Bengaluru operate its water needs before the onset of rapid urbanisation? Since, we…

In North Chennai’s Vyasarpadi, candidates from different political parties contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections are on the last leg of their campaign around the neighbourhood. This is an oft-repeated tradition among politicians, especially in working-class localities, where they offer guarantees like electricity, water, monthly financial assistance, free buses, job opportunities and more, promised through government schemes.  In Vyasarpadi, like many other parts of the city, while everyone votes every year, the reasons for the consistent participation are not necessarily rooted in in-depth political knowledge about candidates. The incentives promised by politicians are important for overall development of the community, but…

Once a year, I inadvertently overhear someone wondering aloud about the sea level while crossing the Mahim or Thane Creek bridges without realising that the sea has tides. Similar conversations are heard at the beaches too. The Bandra Worli Sea Link, which now features in almost every movie about Mumbai, as seen from Mahim. Pic: MS Gopal Not being aware of tides often leads to lovers being stranded on the rocks along the coast, or even people getting washed away by waves during the monsoons. People regularly throng the sea-fronts of Mumbai - sometimes the beaches, sometimes the promenades, but…