EDITORS' PICK

In July 2018, the AAP Government’s flagship scheme ‘Happiness Curriculum’ won commendations from different corners of the globe. This scheme, intended to transform school education completely, tries to shift focus from the fierce competition and marks-oriented teaching-learning that dominates the Indian system, to cognition, language, literacy, numeracy, and an arts-based learning model. Happiness Curriculum is a scientifically-designed curriculum based on the principles of the “Happiness Triad” model given by philosopher Agrahar Nagraj Sarman. It aims to make the learners more aware, mindful, and focuses on how we can bring sustainable happiness in children's lives which will eventually result in happier…

Three decades ago, 65-year-old Jayamma had an opportunity to buy a small plot of land at Hosahalli, on the fringes of Bengaluru, where she worked as a tailor in a small garment shop. The area reminded her of her village back in Holenarsipura in Hassan district: a clump of thatched-roof houses, fields of ragi and rice, and small ponds locally called gokattes and kuntes.  Much of the peri-urban life in Hosahalli revolved around the small water bodies: herders brought cattle to the banks, homemakers washed clothes, farmers cultivated lands near its outlets, children used it for their bath or a…

In today’s fast-moving world, convenience is leading to consumerism. The convenience of getting things delivered to our doorstep and the abundance of choice has turned us into impulsive buyers. What we fail to realize is that every order placed, every return initiated, every dish cooked, every fruit eaten is generating some waste. In cities, due to higher population density and higher spending power, the quantum of waste generation is also high. Therefore, decentralization of waste management is something which makes the entire exercise easier and more sustainable for cities.  But what is decentralised waste management? It refers to a system…

Bright welcoming classrooms with mural-decked walls, kitchen gardens on campus to teach kids about sustainable lifestyles, and game-based interactive pedagogy to engage students and bring out the best in them. No, these are not scenes from any private school in the city, but how the Greater Chennai Corporation plans to give a facelift to several of its institutions.  Roping in a not-for-profit organisation called World Vision India, the civic body is beautifying 14 Corporation schools of Chennai. When children go back to the schools after a long break due to COVID-19, they are sure to be pleasantly surprised by the…

“Delhi air quality has never met WHO criteria,” says Dr T.K. Joshi, Director, Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH), Maulana Azad Medical College and part of the 16-member Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) set up by the government. “It is even more stressed now and is expected to worsen”. The worsening mostly happens during November-December, and lingers on, largely due to paddy stubble burning by farmers in Punjab and Haryana to get their fields ready for the winter wheat sowing. Now, with satellite remote sensing data from the Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) showing  a five-fold increase in the number of farm…

With the onset of COVID-19, Indian cities have been working towards finding a solution for transporting citizens. Worries about maintaining social distancing has led more people to take up cycling and walking as their preferred modes of transport. Interest in cycling has picked up sharply since the COVID-19 lockdowns, with sales of cycles having risen across the country. For this trend to continue beyond the pandemic, the government needs to invest in infrastructure that favours walkers and cyclists in city spaces which are typically jam-packed with motor vehicles.  Bengaluru, which has over 1.39 lakh cyclists, has a thriving cycling culture that…

Just like all civilizations, Madras also drew sustenance from a river. Historically, Adyar and Cooum Rivers played a pivotal role in the flourishing of Chennai. But today, with these rivers polluted, Chennai is largely dependent on the Northeast monsoon (mid-October to mid-December) that recharges groundwater. The presence of hundreds of lakes and temple tanks is a silver lining, but with most of them encroached and polluted, they don’t meet the water demand of the ever-growing city. So how exactly does this city of roughly 11 million people sustain itself? Where do you get the water that flows in your taps…

Tree walks and nature trails are a great way to connect with natural surroundings. Delhi’s green spaces offer ample opportunity for tree enthusiasts, and the constant monitoring has also led to better chronicling of the flowering cycles of different tree species. Delhi has good green cover compared to many other national capitals, says heritage expert and author Vikramjit Singh Rooprai. Some of the best-preserved green spaces are Sanjay Van, Sundar Nursery, Northern Ridge, Central Ridge, Muradabad Pahari in Vasant Vihar, Aravalli hills, Sultan Ghari Park, Yamuna Biodiversity Park, and Mehrauli Archaeological Park. Pradip Krishen, author of Trees of Delhi: A Field…

​​Recently, my Gandhi Nagar area WhatsApp group was abuzz with messages. The topic of discussion was the recently-announced Mega Streets Project.  The Mega Streets Project is an effort to transform arterial and sub-arterial streets to “ensure greater mobility, livability and utility.” These aims are set to be achieved through widening of footpaths, cycle-sharing systems, improving last-mile connectivity. Six streets have been chosen for the project, based on factors such as high intensity of visitors, potential for transformation and streets along transport corridors. Mixed reactions The news that our street had been one of the chosen ones was not universally well-received.…

In cities, flyovers and elevated walkways enable movement of vehicles and people. In the hill regions, tunnels perform the same function, as can be seen in Europe and Scandinavia. Shimla is no exception to this. “When Britishers conceptualised Shimla, they considered tunnels an important component of mobility, especially for pedestrians and built five such tunnels in the town,” says Rakesh Sharma, a retired IAS officer. “The importance of the tunnels still remains a key component of urban mobility plans in the hills”, adds Sharma, who was associated with the framing of Shimla’s Interim Development Plan (SDP), which was first finalised…