GENRE: Report

“Air pollution is never recorded as a direct cause of death. It’s always a contributing factor,” says Dr Aparna Birajdar, a consultant pulmonologist in Pune. She adds that it is difficult to get data on the impact of air pollution in India because doctors are overworked and have little time to research, while most lung infections are multi-factorial. This is why air pollution and its health consequences are rarely addressed with the urgency they demand.  Moreover, studies of air pollution's effects largely focus on adults, with data on children scarce. In 2019, air pollution caused about 6.7 million deaths globally,…

“My child’s commute to school is a half-hour ride, but it takes an hour for her to reach home everyday. The commute itself makes her so tired and the dust is so high during the after-school hour that her cough almost always worsens when she comes back home,” says Tanu, worried mother of a second-grade child in Bengaluru. Tanu is just one parent among the vast numbers across our cities, as air pollution puts their children's health and well-being at grave risk. In 2021, 15% of all global deaths in children under five were linked to air pollution. As per…

On August 1, 2024, the Sion overbridge was closed for a two-year reconstruction project, disrupting traffic and daily commutes. The plan is to rebuild the century-old bridge — originally constructed across the railway tracks in 1912 — through a collaboration between the Central Railway and the BMC. However, to the dismay of citizens, the bridge has yet to be demolished. What are the reasons for this delay? Inconvenience to commuters The bridge connecting Sion East to Sion West serves as a vital link between Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Marg, Dharavi, the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), and the Eastern Express Highway.…

Bengaluru’s air quality has been seriously worsening post COVID. The annual levels of PM10 saw a decline between 2018 and 2021, but has been slowly increasing since then. Government authorities say that the air quality in Bengaluru is better compared to other cities. But while the PM2.5 levels may conform to the national standards, according to a Greenpeace report it is still four to nine times higher than WHO standards. There is thus a huge need for improvement. The city, however, has used very little of the clean air funds received under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP). Also non-utilisation…

A few months ago, our federation in South Chennai's Adyar area hosted a meeting with Urbaser Sumeet, the private garbage collection agency responsible for waste management in Besant Nagar, Adyar, and Thiruvanmiyur. This event was part of the Federation of Adyar Residents' Association's (FEDARA) regular catch-up meetings with the Urbaser team. It aimed to address residents’ feedback and get a clear understanding of the agency's challenges in garbage collection and segregation. The goal was to ensure that waste management continues to improve while fostering cooperation between the residents and the waste collection agency. Concerns about lack of source segregation The…

The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST), considered Mumbai’s second-biggest public transport lifeline, is far from its glory days. The bus accident in Kurla last December that killed nine passengers has brought sharp scrutiny on its operations. The company is also battling losses and recurrent workers’ strikes, the latest one being a flash strike by drivers last week at Wadala depot. According to activists and the BEST Workers’ Union, the core problem is the wet-leasing model introduced in 2018, under which contractors own and operate buses on behalf of BEST. Since then, BEST has steeply reduced its own fleet,…

Malar, a widowed pensioner resettled to Perumbakkam by the State government, had to reapply for her benefits after they were discontinued due to her address change. Despite gathering the necessary documents and reapplying for the National Social Assistance Pension Scheme (NSAP), her application was rejected because the eligibility criteria had changed since she first enrolled. The NSAP, implemented by the Revenue Department, provides monetary support to elderly, differently-abled, and widowed individuals below the poverty line. Funds are allocated at the taluk level, and recipients must reside within the same jurisdiction to access benefits. The Revenue Department ensures that pensions are…

A massive facelift of railway stations is underway in Mumbai and its extended suburbs. As part of this exercise, seventeen local suburban railway stations including that of Khar, Ghatkopar, Kandivli, Borivali, Goregaon etc  have been taken up for commercial redevelopment at a cost of over Rs 900 crores. More than 6.43 lakh sq ft or 147 acres of elevated commercial spaces are being created across railway stations as part of this exercise.  This project, which has been undertaken as part of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP- 3A) is unlike earlier rail station developments in that the exercise is not…

Once celebrated as the 'Garden City' for its lush greenery and rich biodiversity, Bengaluru is grappling with the realities of urbanisation. Now, residents struggle to find a spot of shade amidst the onslaught of concretisation. An Indian Institute of Science (IISc) study suggests that Bengaluru has lost a staggering 80% of its forest cover since the 1970s. Trees are the first casualties of the rapid development and mega-construction projects of Bengaluru. That's why conducting a tree census in the city is crucial. Such an exercise regulates tree felling and helps monitor tree health, assess species diversity, and inform resilient urban…

As our cities struggle to curb the menace of alarming levels of air pollution, a transition to electric vehicles is seen as a much-needed step towards cleaner air, as it would significantly cut down carbon emissions. According to a source apportionment study by CSTEP, Bengaluru’s vehicular emission contributes to 40% of PM2.5 pollution and 19% of PM10 pollution in the city, thus posing a great threat to public health and the environment. Electric vehicles (EVs) could bring considerable relief by completely cutting down on tailpipe emission. But a smoother transition from fossil fuel driven vehicles demands adequate and affordable EV charging infrastructure.…