GENRE: In Focus

Once upon a time, Kudi Kunta lake, one of the oldest lakes in Serilingampally mandal, hidden among the bylanes of Masjid Banda, Kondapur in Hyderabad, was a drinking water source for thousands of residents living around it. But as has happened in many cities, this fresh water source has largely disappeared due to decades of neglect and waste dumping. Spread across 8.04 acres (as per the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) survey of 2014, the freshwater lake (Lake ID 3742) used to be an aquatic habitat and occasional home to migratory birds. Not any more. Dumping of toxic wastes, garbage…

The National Coalition for Inclusive and Sustainable Urbanization, comprised of a group of people across different parts of the country, is involved in exploring questions pertaining to the city and whom the urban is meant for. The Coalition has recently put out a charter, endorsed by 150+ organizations and 2 lakh signatories across 40 cities, that lays out a number of steps that can be taken to make development in cities more inclusive and sustainable, keeping the real ‘Citymakers’ - urban poor and worker groups - and their rights at the centre of discourse and action. Right to Housing and…

The representatives of Federation of OMR Residents Associations (FOMRRA) came together on the afternoon of April 14th to listen to some of the candidates contesting for the Lok Sabha elections from Chennai South constituency. FOMRRA represents nearly three lakh households in gated communities, independent houses and small apartments. The candidates had been sent a set of key questions regarding water supply, sewage network and traffic management which have posed and continue to pose many challenges for the residents over the years. First to speak was Thamizhachi Thangapandian from the DMK. She acknowledged the questions sent to her but added that most…

Voting for election of the 17th Lok Sabha has started and will be conducted in seven phases in all, concluding on May 19th. And yes, in this magnificent exercise in the world's most populous democracy, it is crucial for every citizen to go out and vote. A high voter turnout puts the onus on elected representatives to discharge their duties and be held accountable for their action and inaction during their time in office. And yet, some of you may still be confused about the nitty gritty as well as the larger questions around the cast of your mandate. Here's a…

A two-time Lok Sabha MP representing Thiruvallur constituency, P Venugopal has been part of the 15th and 16th Lok Sabha. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Venugopal (AIADMK) defeated Ravi Kumar (VCK) by 3,23,430 votes. The constituency, with 17,02,833 voters, had 73.67 percent voter turnout in the 2014 elections, of which Venugopal attained 50.01 percent votes.  P Venugopal has won the seat twice since the creation of the Thiruvallur constituency since the delimitation exercise in 2008. P Venugopal is seeking re-election to the 17th Lok Sabha as part of the grand alliance of AIADMK with BJP among other parties in…

With general elections in the country underway, all political parties have promised to prioritise public transport. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party promises to launch an “Urban Mobility Mission,” one of whose aims is to “increase the use of public transport.” On similar lines, the Indian National Congress says it will formulate a “policy on urban transport” that emphasises public transport including “metro rail, suburban rail, public bus transport” and non-motorised transport. Yet, despite these stated aims, transport policy and investment remains resolutely oriented towards road building and private vehicles, particularly in Bengaluru, as evidenced by the controversial elevated corridor project…

K N Ramachandran, a veteran of state politics was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Sriperumbudur constituency in 2014. Sriperumbudur constituency consists of six assembly constituencies -- Maduravoyal, Sriperumbudur, Alandur, Pallavaram, Ambattur, Tambaram. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, K N Ramachandran (AIADMK) defeated Jagathrakshagan (DMK) by 1,02,646 votes. The constituency, with 19,46,503 voters had 66.10% voter turnout in 2014 elections, of which K N Ramachandran attained 42.42% votes.  However, he is not in the fray for re-election to the 17th Lok Sabha. Personal Information Name: K N Ramachandran Age:     63 years Constituency: Sriperumbudur Address: 4/163,G.S.T.Road,Vandalur Otteri,Chennai-600 048 Name…

“We want policies and schemes that are people centric, not nominal ones that our elected representatives decide,” say volunteers of Chittoor People’s Action Committee (CPAC). CPAC is a pro-active citizen movement and the voice of the people in Chittoor, a city crying out for basic amenities and infrastructure.   CPAC has interacted with more than 5000 citizens from Chittoor, Gangadhara Nellore and Puthalapattu constituencies, to deliver a data-centric, in-depth citizens' manifesto.  The manifesto is the end product of various surveys and workshops such as Nenu Bharath Aithe (inspired from a political drama movie starring Mahesh Babu). The volunteers of CPAC…

How should one go about voting in an election? This seems quite a bewildering challenge for some voters unless they have already made up their mind on whom or which party to vote. The manifestos of both the major parties are out. In case the promises they are making and their track record of delivering on previous manifestos hasn’t helped you decide, read on. For those still undecided, this article may give you some guidance on making an informed choice. Let us first begin by understanding the role of a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP),the nature of our democracy…

Election manifestos released recently by the BJP, Congress and CPI(M) seem to show some responsibility towards the declining environmental standards of the country. The Congress manifesto, for instance describes air pollution as a “national public health emergency”. The BJP manifesto promised to reduce pollution levels by at least 35% over the next five years in 102 cities. However, past experience shows that the promises made on paper remain largely unimplemented. Few elected representatives seem committed to improve air quality in their respective cities and constituencies. A recent report by Climate Trends titled, “Political Leaders Position and Action on Air Quality…