GENRE: Explainers

As winter sets in, the issue of air pollution once again takes centre stage, especially in cities like Delhi, where air quality worsens, affecting residents' health. Though attention has traditionally focused on northern cities, recent studies have raised growing concerns about the air quality in southern cities like Chennai. A recent study by the Lancet Planetary Health reveals troubling findings, showing that Chennai, despite having lower levels of air pollution compared to the cities in northern India, faces a significantly high mortality risk. The city, with an annual PM-2.5 (fine particulate matter) level of 33.7 micrograms per cubic meter, is…

Anjana S, a Bengaluru-based software engineer, estimates that e-commerce companies deliver at her doorstep at least 15 times a month. “I place orders with companies like Flipkart 2-5 times a month. And grocery orders with quick delivery companies, like Zepto, 3-4 times a week,” she says. Which leaves her with considerable packaging material, often plastic, that she has to dispose of. Like many Bengalureans, Anjana works out of home and rarely frequents retail shops these days. The discounts offered by e-commerce companies are more attractive as well. “Some platforms also waive the delivery fee if I buy a monthly pass,”…

India’s urban areas are running out of water in more ways than one. According to India’s first National Water Bodies Census 2023, only 3% of the country’s 2.4 million water bodies lie in urban areas. As urbanisation accelerates — with urban population projected to double from 410 million in 2014 to 814 million by 2050 — infrastructure increasingly threatens to consume the country’s blue spaces, including lakes, ponds, marshlands, and swamps. A 10-city study conducted by World Resources Institute (WRI) India found that between 2000 and 2015, while the built-up area in the surveyed cities increased, their blue cover decreased by an average of 15%. The loss…

Riding on the success of Ladki Bahin Scheme and a flurry of manifesto promises from better pension for older people, increased honorarium for Asha and Anganwadi workers, the Mahayuti - BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde)  and NCP ( Ajit Pawar) have swept the assembly elections with a tally of 230 out 288 seats in Maharashtra and 22 out of 36 seats in Mumbai. They are yet to announce the chief minister amidst heavy speculation as successful MLAs celebrate. As various reports and analyses indicate that the main factors were launch of welfare schemes or promises of the same, communal agenda…

The 2024 Maharashtra election is not just a crucial determiner for the State but also for Mumbai. This is because it comes at a time when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been disbanded, leaving citizens without corporators to represent their concerns for the past two years. With no local representation, it isn't surprising that many candidates have released their individual manifestos, outlining the work they plan to undertake in their constituencies within the city. But do these manifestos address the challenges Mumbai is facing right now? The city has been struggling with a myriad of issues — huge gaps…

Table of contentsName of constituency: Borivali (AC 152)Incumbent MLA : Sunil Dattatraya Rane (BJP)2019 resultsConstituency summaryContesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Dahisar (AC 153)Incumbent MLA: Chaudhary Manisha Ashok (BJP)2019 resultsConstituency SummaryContesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Magathane (154)Constituency analysisIncumbent MLA: Prakash Rajaram Surve (SHS)2019 results:Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Mulund (155) Constituency analysis Incumbent MLA: Mihir Kotecha (BJP)2019 results: Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Vikhroli (156)Constituency analysis Incumbent MLA: Sunil Raut (SHS)2019 results:Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Bhandup West (157)Constituency Analysis Incumbent MLA: Ramesh Gajanan Korgaonkar (SHS)2019 results:Contesting candidates in 2024Name of constituency: Jogeshwari East (158) Constituency analysisIncumbent MLA:  Ravindra Dattaram Waikar (SHS)2019…

The past five years have seen public health crises, not only locally but globally. Considering this, it is only fair to expect that budgetary allocations for public health would be made more robust. But an analysis shows that the allocation of funds for public health has dropped, though the number of people seeking medical care from the public healthcare system has increased. Experts have pointed out that the public health budget for 2024-2025 is less than that for 2023-2024. Jan Arogya Abhiyan, a group of NGOs and healthcare professionals has released a health report card assessing the performance of the…

மலையாள திரையுலகில் பெண்கள் எதிர்கொள்கின்ற பாலியல் துன்புறுத்தல் தொடர்பான பிரச்சினைகளை ஆய்வு செய்யும் நோக்கில் 2017-இல் கேரள அரசு உருவாக்கிய மூன்று உறுப்பினர்களைக் கொண்ட நீதியரசர் ஹேமா குழு, 19 ஆகஸ்ட் அன்று அதன் அறிக்கையை வெளியிட்டது . இந்த அறிக்கை, திரைப்படத் துறையில் மட்டுமின்றி பல்வேறு துறைகளில் பெண்கள் எதிர்கொள்ளும் பாலியல் தொல்லைகள் பற்றிய விவாதங்களை தூண்டியது. சென்னையின் பிரபலமான கலாக்ஷேத்ராவில் 2023-ல் பல பாலியல் துன்புறுத்தல் தொடர்பான குற்றச்சாட்டுகள் வெளிவந்தபோது, நாங்கள் சென்னையின் கல்வி நிறுவனங்களில் உள்ள உள்ளக புகார் குழுக்கள் (ICC) எப்படி செயல்படுகின்றன என்பதை ஆராய்ந்தோம். பணியிடத்தில் பெண்கள் மீதான பாலியல் துன்புறுத்தல் (தடுப்பு, தடை மற்றும் தீர்வு) சட்டம், 2013 (POSH சட்டம்) படி, 10 அல்லது அதற்கு மேற்பட்ட பணியாளர்கள் உள்ள அனைத்து நிறுவனங்களிலும் ICC செயல்பட வேண்டும். “சில தனியார் நிறுவனங்கள் POSH சட்டத்தை அமல்படுத்தி, ICCக்களின் செயல்பாட்டை உறுதி செய்துள்ளன.…

Maharashtra assembly elections are here and Mumbai, the financial capital of India, is witnessing tough fights between various parties for 36 out of a total 288 seats. With many political defections and splits in parties, the number of contesting candidates has gone up by 28% since 2019. A total of 4,140 candidates will contest the polls, including 420 candidates for Mumbai. Amidst this politically volatile atmosphere, in all likelihood, the focus will be on who forms the next government. Issues that need to be discussed and are of relevance to people, will remain on the periphery as the political campaigns gather…

Road crashes and related fatalities have surged in metros like Bengaluru and often human behaviour may be responsible for raising the risk of traffic accidents. Since 2021, the Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit (JHUI) and the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Initiative for Global Road Safety, have been conducting roadside observational studies in the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region to assess human behaviour-related risks for road crashes. The ensuing report, 'Status Summary Report-Road Safety Risk Factors' highlights the prevalence of speeding, incorrect use of helmets, improper seat belt and child restraint use, and drink-driving. Dr Gautham M Sukumar,…