GENRE: In Focus

"In our current challenging situation, we're taking life one day at a time," shares Kusum Bhagat, an elderly tribal woman residing in Devichapada, a village near Film City in Aarey. Kusum, currently recovering from blood cancer, finds herself in an ongoing battle to protect her family's ancestral farmland from being turned into a film set. She talks about the struggles of her family with tears in her eyes, while standing on guard next to the farmland, worrying if people from Film City will start the construction work. "We take turns standing guard, and I've been on duty since this afternoon.…

Sex work is a complex and often stigmatised profession in India. Women engaged in this occupation face a heightened risk of HIV infections. The marginalised and vulnerable status of many sex workers, coupled with limited access to healthcare and safe working conditions, contribute to this health crisis. It is essential to recognise that addressing HIV among women in sex work requires a multifaceted approach, including destigmatisation, advocacy for their rights, and comprehensive healthcare services. Only through these measures can we hope to reduce HIV infections and ensure the well-being of these women, who often face disproportionate challenges and social ostracisation.…

People of North Chennai have been vocal about the adverse effects of pollution that taints the air, land and water in their area. They are often seen staging protests against projects that may have a negative bearing on the lives and livelihoods of the people and the environment. Several studies have reiterated that major industries operating in the Ennore-Manali region, including the state-owned thermal power plant, contribute to the rising pollution in North Chennai. It is the residents who bear the brunt of this toxic onslaught — as they breathe poisonous air every day and use water that is highly…

Researchers at Paani.Earth have documented firsthand evidence exposing the inadequate wastewater treatment in five Bengaluru sewage treatment plants (STPs). This untreated water is making its way to drought-prone areas in Kolar and Chikkaballapura.  In part one of this series, we will examine the KC Valley Project, its acclaimed wastewater management methods, and evaluate its actual effectiveness in comparison to Paani.Earth's research.  The Koramangala Challaghatta (KC) Valley project was launched by the Karnataka government in 2018. It was meant to treat 440 million litres of sewage water from Bengaluru’s five STPs, everyday, to recharge ground water in the drought-prone areas of…

"The work for metro water and drainage connections are underway and we will make sure the residents get all the basic amenities," says J Sherly Thomas, Councillor of Ward 187 in Chennai. Areas that come under Ward 187 include Palaya Garden, Thilagar Avenue, Karthikeyapuram, Senthuram Colony, Iyyappan Nagar, Madipakkam Bus stand, New Guberan Nagar, Deivanai Nagar and Bajanai Koil Street. The areas in Ward 187 were added to the Greater Chennai Corporation limit in 2011. Yet, they remain without any basic amenities to date. Hailing from a family that is closely associated with politics, Sherly says, "My husband has been…

BBMP recently released the data from the street dog survey conducted over July and August 2023. The survey estimates that there are 2.79 Lakh (2,79,335 to be precise) dogs on the streets in BBMP’s area. This is down from the estimated 3.10 Lakh (3,09,975 to be precise) dogs in 2019, a decline of 9.88% over the four year period. Variation within the city The survey report shows that the 2.79 lakh dogs are not evenly distributed across the city. Number of street dogs in BBMP zones in 2023.Src: BBMP street dogs survey 2023. Graphic: OpenCity.in While Mahadevapura zone hosts 21%…

The elderly population in India is rapidly rising. According to the India Ageing Report-2023 released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), those above 60 years of age are set to constitute 15% of the population by 2036 (22.7 crore). From about 10.5% (14.9 crore) of the population in 2022, the population of senior citizens is likely to increase to 20% in 2050 (34.7 crore), thus throwing up new challenges related to their safety, well-being and health. The report also stressed on the need to focus on policies and programmes to meet the needs of the elderly, especially older women…

Sanjay Baikar, a Koli fisherman has three boats parked at the Lotus jetty in Worli. The area, where his boats are parked, along with the many others, will soon be taken over by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for the coastal road project. The boats were parked at the north of the jetty before the ambitious project began. They were asked to move to the southern section, when the project took over that section of the jetty.  In August, the BMC asked the fishermen to move the boats to another location as they wish to take up this section too,…

[In Part 1 of this series, we looked at the ongoing practice of manual scavenging in Bengaluru, even though it was officially banned in 1993. Part 2 delved into the main reason for its continuation, which is the lack of awareness about the operation and maintenance of sewage treatment plants (STPs)] In part 3, we explore the functioning of STPs in Bengaluru and how their effectiveness can be enhanced for both the betterment of the environment and to eliminate manual scavenging.  Why are STPs important?  According to Ananth S. Kodavasal, director at Ecotech, who also formulated the STP guide for…

Raja*, a 13-year-old boy, was protesting on the streets along with his mother and neighbours when their houses in Govindasamy Nagar were demolished by the government in May 2022. "The government disconnected the electricity supply to our houses for almost 10 days. We had our annual exams during this time and all the children in the area could not study at home. We tried studying under the street lights, but there were many mosquitoes. But, before our exams got over, the government demolished our houses," he says. Raja and other children in the area were forced to take to the…