EDITORS' PICK

Fish caught in Maharashtra are not promoted enough in local markets. The local fish, considered to be superior in quality are exported for lower prices outside the country. Even restaurant associations refrain from purchasing these local fish and prefer to import lower quality fish such as the Basa. Why do we need to bring fish from outside when we have a superior quality of fish such as the local Tuna, Sakla, Ghol, Barracuda, Snapper etc, ask local fishermen. https://youtu.be/Ju5UJHvVxNU

Housing is a fundamental social and economic need that determines the quality of life and health of people. Housing also underscores the deeply entrenched urban plight of our cities. 6.5 crore persons, that is 1 in every 6 persons, lived in slums and informal settlements in India in 2011. The existence of 33,510 slums, surveyed in 2013, in our 4,000 plus cities is another staggering statistic. Long-term marginalization of these neighbourhoods, is visible in the poor access to water and sanitation amenities in slum households. The census of 2011 showed that  43.3% households did not have water inside their homes…

Maharashtra currently ranks 7th in India when it comes to fishing. The government encourages inland fishing rather than promote existing traditional fishing methods. Maharashtra however is not very popular for inland fishing. In comparison to Maharashtra, other states have been aggressively supporting the fishermen by giving them coastal land to create nurseries. One such example is that of Gujarat where fishermen have been given coastal land for fishing. However, in Maharashtra infrastructural developments have been taking place which are having a direct impact on the coastal areas of Maharashtra where mangroves are being cut and coastal roads are on the…

Raj Rani, a 45-year-old household help residing in Kaimbwala, is a worried woman these days. Six months after COVID 19 hit the nation, her family income has halved and no new employment has come her way. “Earlier I used to earn Rs 10,000 to 12,000 per month, now it is down to Rs 6000 to Rs 7000,” says Raj Rani, whose case is typical of all labourers living at the margins of society. Her two sons, one employed as a driver and the second working with a local contractor, have also lost their jobs. As has her husband Ram Rattan,…

The rivers in Mumbai are a source of livelihood, sustenance and a way of life of the people who live on its banks and around It. Rivers are slowly turning into sewers due to disposal of trash by Humans. One such example is that of the Versova creek that has been polluted as there are 12 inlets connecting to the creek coming from North Mumbai.Rivers like Malad, Oshiwara, Mogra, Poisar etc that have been carrying a lot of harmful Industrial as well as domestic waste into the river. This has led to heavy pollution and an extreme loss of marine…

There can be no dispute over the fact that the frequency, intensity and spread (new cities getting affected) of urban floods is increasing in India. The reasons are mostly known: increasing and mostly unplanned urbanisation, rural-urban migration, encroachments of water bodies, concretization of flood plains and other lands, decreasing capacity to hold, store, recharge and drain the rainwater, increasing rainfall intensities with changing climate, wrong operation of big dams and deteriorating governance. The damages are going up, also because our forecasts are far from reliable, accurate, location-specific or with sufficient lead time. Because of our incapacity to learn lessons. Disaster…

Pic: Pixabay.com Renuka lives in a three-bedroom house in upmarket Koramangala. Her children go to a prestigious school. She can afford these thanks to her rich clients and her three paying guests who too are sex workers.  But with her children home since lockdown, she can no longer entertain clients at home. The paying guests could not afford the rent and have gone back to their villages. One of her clients died after contracting COVID-19 a week after visiting her. She got herself tested and was relieved when results came negative. Once lockdown eased, her clients began to pester her,…

The narrow lane of Koya Arunagiri Street in Royapettah leads to the house of R S Venkatesan, a seasoned potter, who has made Chennai his home. Although it is just 5.30 am, he and his wife Vasanthi V are already up and busy with their work. A potter’s wheel, a bunch of firewood logs, dried cow dung cake and other paraphernalia lie scattered around their compound.  Koya Arunagiri Street runs just behind the Royapettah Hospital in Chennai. Years ago, the entire stretch was known for the potters who lived here. Venkatesan informs me that over the years, many from the…

Ritu Kumar is a known brand for top class bridal and fashion wear. On September 5th, despite the pandemic and every other shop owner complaining of negligible footfalls and even less sales, the brand opened a new store on the ground floor in New Delhi's plush Khan Market, possibly the costliest pocket of real estate in the country. It was the owner’s decision, said Neha, one of the young sales staff. Ritu Kumar, incidentally, already has a store spread over the first and second floor in the middle lane of the same market. That store now sells traditional bridal wear,…

In the recently concluded monsoon session of the Karnataka state assembly, two audit reports by the CAG of India were tabled: Report No 1 of 2020, tabled on September 22, pertains to State Finances of Karnataka Government for the year 2018-19.Report No 2 of 2020, tabled on September 23, presents the Performance Audit on Implementation of the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act. (Read the English version of the CAG report here, and the Kannada version here.) Also, on September 23, CAG’s Audit Report on Union Government (Finance Accounts) for the year 2018-19 was tabled in parliament. This showed a savings of…