GENRE: Solutions

A walk around Madipakkam Lake today offers a lush, green escape: a scenic pathway encircling brimming waters, shaded by native trees and plants that purify the air. Small islands in the lake attract a variety of birds, making it a haven for urban biodiversity. Along the paved paths, vendors selling healthy snacks and fresh vegetables have set up shop, a reflection of how environmental restoration can also support local livelihoods, particularly for low-income groups. From as early as 4 am until late in the evening, hundreds of people, both young and old, visit the lake daily. Whether it is for…

As the lunch bell rings at Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) Chennai High School in Adyar, students line up eagerly for their midday meal. Seated in groups, they chat happily while enjoying vegetables grown in their school’s terrace garden, which they helped plant and nurture. Once lunch is over, every student deposits food waste into a dedicated bin. This seemingly small act is part of a much larger system. The food waste, along with kitchen scraps, is fed into a biogas plant located within the school campus. The biogas generated powers the school kitchen, while the resulting slurry is used as…

Amidst the urban sprawl of HSR Layout, Swachagraha Kalika Kendra (SGKK) stands out, looking nothing like a traditional park. At the entrance, a striking archway made of old plastic bottles and scrap materials makes a statement on creative reuse. Stepping further in, visitors to the park are greeted by a thriving community garden, where vegetables are grown organically.  SGKK is not just a park; it is a place for learning and community action, and inspires people in the locality to adopt sustainable waste management practices. The park stands as a microcosm of what the city could become—greener, more conscious, and community-driven.…

Namrata (name changed to protect identity) migrated from West Bengal to Bengaluru 15 years ago in search of a better livelihood. She is a domestic worker, and her husband is a waste picker. Though their livelihood has improved, the quality of life is still poor. The informal settlement in Belagere, where Namrata has been living for the past nine years, floods after each rainfall. “Water rises to our hip level, and we cannot sleep most nights if it rains,” she said. Also, stormwater drains run on two sides of the settlement. Wastewater from the drains mixes with floodwater, causing children…

In the midst of buzzing classrooms at the Government Higher Secondary School in Sholinganallur, a row of neatly arranged plants thrives in grow bags, slightly elevated from the ground. These are no ordinary plants; the fresh produce from this school garden goes directly into the mid-day meal preparations, providing nourishment to the students. Amidst Chennai's concrete sprawl, children, especially from marginalised backgrounds, may have little exposure to abundant greenery. However, a unique initiative is changing that, improving access to organic produce while fostering environmental awareness and a love for nature. Here, students plant seeds, watching in awe as they grow…

Located in the historic neighbourhood of Mehrauli, is the Hauz-i-Shamsi, a reservoir dating back to 1230 CE. It was built by the third sultan of the Delhi Sultanate, Shamsuddin Iltutmish of what is referred to as the Slave Dynasty. Every year, this ancient water body stands as a silent witness to the 'Phool Walon Ki Sair' festival at the adjoining Jahaz Mahal, which is decorated with fresh flowers to celebrate the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb (syncretic Hindu-Muslim culture). For the rest of the year, it brings joy to many people who live around it in homes that stand cheek-by-jowl in the narrow, serpentine lanes of Mehrauli…

ಬುರಗುಂಟೆ ಗ್ರಾಮದ ಒಂದು ಮೂಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ, ಬದಲಾವಣೆ ರೂಪಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದೆ - ಇದು ಅಡುಗೆಮನೆಯ ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಭೂಮಿಗೆ ಪೋಷಣೆಯಾಗಿ ಪರಿವರ್ತಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ ಮತ್ತು ಅದನ್ನು ಅಳವಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ಮಹಿಳೆಯರ ಕುಟುಂಬಗಳಿಗೆ ಆ ಗೊಬ್ಬರವು ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿ ಆಹಾರ ಒದಗಿಸುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಸರಳ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆಯಾಗಿ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭವಾದ ಇದು ಈಗ ಲಲಿತಾ ಅಕ್ಕ ಎಂಬ ದೃಢನಿಶ್ಚಯವುಳ್ಳ ಮಹಿಳೆಯ ನೇತೃತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಮೂಹಿಕ ಪ್ರಯತ್ನವಾಗಿ ವಿಕಸನಗೊಂಡಿದೆ.  ಸರ್ಜಾಪುರದ ಆನೇಕಲ್ ತಾಲ್ಲೂಕಿನ ಬುರಗುಂಟೆ ಗ್ರಾಮದ ನಿವಾಸಿಗಳು, ನಗರ ಮತ್ತು ಪಟ್ಟಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಮಾನ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಕಂಡುಬರುವ ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯ ವಿಲೇವಾರಿ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸವನ್ನು ಬಹಳ ಹಿಂದಿನಿಂದಲೂ ಅನುಸರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು - ಅವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಮಿಶ್ರ ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಬಿಲ್ಲಾಪುರ ಗ್ರಾಮ ಪಂಚಾಯಿತಿಯಿಂದ ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸುವ ವಾಹನಕ್ಕೆ ಹಸ್ತಾಂತರಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಈ ವಾಹನವು ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಭೂಕುಸಿತಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾಗಿಸುತಿತ್ತು ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ಕಸವನ್ನು ಎಸೆಯಲಾಗುತ್ತಿತು ಅಥವಾ ಸುಡಲಾಗುತಿತ್ತು. ಬುರುಗುಂಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ವಾಸಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಸ್ಥಳೀಯರಿಗೆ ತಾವು ಅಳವಡಿಸಿಕೊಂಡ ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯ ವಿಲೇವಾರಿಯ ಅಭ್ಯಾಸದಿಂದುಂಟಾಗುವ ದುಷ್ಪರಿಣಾಮಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಅರಿವಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ, ಅನೇಕ ಜನರು ತ್ಯಾಜ್ಯವನ್ನು ಸಾರ್ವಜನಿಕ ಹಾಗೂ ಮನೆಯ ಅಂಗಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಬಿಸಾಡುವುದು ಮತ್ತು ಸುಡುತಿದ್ದರು, ಇದರಿಂದ ಅನೇಕ…

Amid the countless wheels lining its roads, the premises of the Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) in Bengaluru's Yelahanka is surprisingly verdant for a government foundry. A spider web-like system of interconnected stormwater drains and water points efficiently directs all water to the pump house or ponds, preventing any runoff. Their rooftop harvesting system allows immediate use of rainwater for production, ensuring zero wastage. Even during the peak of summer 2025, the two main wells, named Damodar and Kandaswamy—essential for production and fire emergencies—remain more than half-full, highlighting RWF’s water efficiency. Rail Wheel Factory uses power-saving ways in which it can…

When the residents of TZED Homes, a community in Whitefield, faced water shortages, they did not immediately resort to using tanker water. Instead, they opted for an unconventional solution — treating and reusing wastewater for potable purposes. It was a difficult decision, and even more challenging to convince all community members to accept. "Until four to five years ago, we could access water at a depth of just 80 feet. However, tankers extracting water from commercial borewells have significantly affected our aquifer," says Babu, a resident closely involved in water management in the community. But, their efforts have paid off…

In urban areas, an unmistakable, overpowering stench often signals the presence of a waste processing facility in a neighbourhood. The foul odour emanating from these sites has long been a major concern for residents and civic authorities. It is also purportedly one of the main reasons behind the Greater Chennai Corporation's (GCC) recent decision to shut down 168 Micro Composting Centres (MCC) and 88 Material Recovery Facilities (MRF) across the city. Despite the challenges, these MCCs play a crucial role in Chennai’s decentralised waste management system. If foul odour and associated health concerns are the problem, a micro composting centre…