EVENTS

As Chennai gets set for local body polls for the first time since 2011, many issues faced by the city and how an elected council might offer long-awaited solutions for the same, warranted a discussion. On February 14 2022, Citizen Matters and Janaagraha Center for Citizenship and Democracy brought together a diverse panel of candidates in the fray in this election and prominent voices from civil society organisation to delve into the complexities of local governance and how Chennaiites can hold the elected representatives accountable. The panel was comprised of activist David Manohar of the corruption watchdog Arappor Iyakkam, Charu…

On 12th February, a webinar organised by civic organisations Mumbai First and The Blue Ribbon Movement discussed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) civic budget for 2022. Questions surrounding scope and allocation highlighted the need for citizen participation in policy making. Moderated by Abhishek Thakore, co-founder of The Blue Ribbon Movement, the panel consisted of experts, journalists and grassroots workers, with years of expertise on the functions of the BMC, its historical trends and practices.  The panellists were Chaitanya Marpakwar, a journalist for The Times of India, whose work covers civic and political issues in Mumbai, Ravikant Joshi, an expert on…

After a gap of over five years, Tamil Nadu’s state capital of Chennai is going to get an elected council to monitor the administration of the city. It’s also after a span of a decade that the people of the city will be going to the polling booths to elect their ward councillors. Although the official website of the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) states that the administrative set up of Chennai city includes a council of 200 councillors, headed by a Mayor, that hasn’t been the case in the past five years, that is since October 2016, which was when…

The existing state of urban biodiversity, environment and natural heritage in Bengaluru is a matter of urgent concern. The impacts of ecological degradation is already felt in the city - for example, monsoons are often accompanied by the grim news of many areas getting flooded. Many of these vulnerable sites are found in large layouts and real estate projects that are built in valley zones and adjacent to lakes/rajakaluves (primary stormwater drains). A favoured market for the real estate sector, Bengaluru has witnessed an increase in built-up area that has replaced its green cover and wildlife habitats. Built-up area has…

On January 27th, Citizen Matters hosted a webinar on the state of urban planning in Mumbai to address discrepancies in the city's socio-economic, infrastructure and environmental planning. Moderated by Meenakshi Ramesh, Trustee of Citizen Matters, the panel consisted of people from backgrounds of architecture, urban planning, anthropology and education. The panelists were Rejeet Mathews, program director for urban development at WRI India, Aslam Saiyad, a photographer and documentarian deeply interested in issues related to riparian communities in Mumbai, Akhtar Chauhan, former director of Rizvi College of Infrastructure, Berjis Driver, an urban planner and associate member of the Institute of Town…

Mumbai's population growth is attributed to the influx of migrants due to the textile mill boom in the 1900s. By 1921, migrants made up about 84% of the city's population. Historically, Mumbai's large migrant population has been its backbone. However, since the dissolution of the mills, Mumbai went from an industrial hub to a service industry hub, changing migration patterns from intrastate to interstate. For a long time since this shift, migrants have been blamed for 'stealing' jobs from locals, and for contributing to the city's vastly spread slum habilitation. However, contrary to the opinion that migration to Mumbai from…

On October 3rd, Citizen Matters hosted a tweet chat on water supply in Mumbai with Sitaram Shelar and Purva Dewoolkar. The discussion covered how water is sourced in the city; the condition of lakes, the treatment plants, and reasons for water shortage. Sitaram Shelar is the Convener of the Pani Haq Samiti. He is a member of the core committee of the Hamara Shaher Mumbai Abhiyan and has initiated the 51 Mumbaikar campaign. His work has focused on youth development, governance,  poverty and the built environment. Purva Dewoolkar is a SEED funded PhD Scholar at the University of Manchester.  Her…

With Bengaluru experiencing near continuous rainfall over the last few days, water scarcity is the last thing on any one’s mind. But come February, when the water taps open to a trickle and the tanker water suppliers hike their rates, it won’t be easy. What does it take to save every possible drop and manage water demand to avoid the typical summer worries? As per the BWSSB (Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board), the current water demand for the city is 2,100 MLD (Million Litres per Day), which is an increase of 50% compared to the demand 10 years ago.…

With the severe water scarcity in Bengaluru, a large number of residents have to buy water, more so during summers. And due to indiscriminate digging of borewells in the rush to find water, the city's groundwater has been overexploited. But the efforts of many Bengalureans in rainwater harvesting (RWH) already show the way ahead for the city. Currently, Bengaluru is the Indian city with the second-highest number of RWH installations (1.55 lakh), next only to Chennai. Highlighting such efforts, and discussing how to amplify these, was the focus of a webinar jointly organised by BWSSB (Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage…

Monsoons are here and who doesn’t have happy memories of the fragrance of the first rain bringing along with it the much-needed relief from the weary heat of the Bengaluru summer. But then, along with memories, rains also bring inconveniences like localised flooding in urban areas and increased commute time!  In recent years, we see many Bengalureans struggling to access water during the summers. And one wonders where all the excess water from the rains disappeared.  Data shows that Bengaluru typically receives the highest rains in the months of August, September, and October. With August not too far away, now…