GENRE: Voices

One of the most important goals under NEP 2020  is to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary schools by the year 2025. The Ministry of Education started the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN) Bharat in July 2021. The goal is to enable children to attain basic foundational skills by the time they reach Class III. The Ministry aims to achieve this by 2026-27. Read more: Students detained in spare classroom: Who pays when school fees become unaffordable? Pratham's Leader Mother for NIPUN Maharashtra programme Pratham, an NGO established in 1995, has been working…

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC)'s Ward 185 is reserved for women candidates. If not for the reservation, Sharmila Devi wouldn't have made her political debut. "Both my father-in-law and husband have been in politics for over a decade. Since the ward was reserved for women, I contested and won to become Councillor," she says. Ward 185 of Chennai also constitutes areas in Ullagaram that were annexed to GCC in 2011. The locals face issues such as inadequate drinking water supply, lack of proper underground drainage systems and poor road infrastructure in these areas. Ward 185 in Chennai Name of the…

Chennai is known for its rich cultural heritage, booming economy, and vibrant social life. However, the city faces a significant issue with the rampant proliferation of unauthorised advertising hoardings, or ‘flex’ banners. These banners are erected without permission from civic authorities. Despite existing regulations and penalties, this problem persists, leading to accidents and fatalities. This situation underscores the urgent need for stringent enforcement and increased public awareness. What are 'flex' banners? These banners are used for various purposes, including political campaigns, advertisements, religious events, and personal celebrations. Their low production cost and ease of use make them an attractive option…

Evictions do not affect men and women equally. Often, women bear the brunt, be it because of unplanned evictions or domestic violence that results from loss of livelihood. With no government facilities in place to turn to for help, the women in Chennai's resettlement areas often suffer in silence. To address this issue, the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) will soon establish 'one-stop centres' in resettlement areas in the city. Meanwhile, a residential de-addiction centre has also been set up in Kannagi Nagar to tackle substance abuse, especially among young men and boys. Our earlier articles in this…

Every year, before the onset of monsoons, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) shares detailed information about preparedness and flood mitigation measures. This includes details such as the number of pumps installed to drain out excess rainwater from flood prone areas, the identification of hot spots and so on.  Throughout the rainy season that lasts four months, the civic body puts out information about high tides, amount of rainfall, weather alerts and detailed rain-related accidents such as building collapse, tree falling incidents. They also inform citizens about the plans to pump the excess water from low-lying areas and drain it into…

Residents of the tenements built by the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board (TNUHDB) in Vyasarpadi, North Chennai face several challenges. The homes are cramped, barely providing enough space for two people. There are no recreational areas for children to play and for adults to relax. Additionally, the narrow, unsafe roads with speeding vehicles pose a hazard for children living nearby. The drains are often clogged and sewage is seen overflowing onto the congested lanes. So, how do people feel about living here? One resident laments that the living spaces in the resettlement site make them feel that there is…

Amidst the chaos and controversy that has rocked the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, six bills were passed without any discussion. One such Bill was the Government Parks (Preservation) Amendment Bill, 2024, passed to “ease” the implementation of the ropeway project at Nandi Hills.  What the Bill mentions Amendment of section 5: In the Karnataka Government Parks (Preservation) Act, 1975 (Karnataka Act 23 of 1975) in section 5, after clause (f), the following shall be inserted namely:-  "(g) two acres of land in survey no.3 at Nandi Hills for the purpose of Upper Terminal Point (UTP) under Nandi Hills Ropeway Project on…

Everyone in Mumbai or even outside, is familiar with the name Dharavi and they associate it with one of Asia's largest informal settlements. However, not many are aware of Dharavi Island, located at the mouth of Vasai Creek, far from Sion's informal settlements. On simply wandering around Dharavi Island, I started taking photos of Uttan, one of the five villages that comprise the island. I came across Uttan in November 2020, when I first ventured into photographing the city. During that time local trains were not available for citizens due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and so, I had to find…

Chennai is known for its love of sport and the city has produced many greats in cricket and tennis. But, we often forget the connection that North Chennai and areas like Vyasarpadi have to football, hockey and boxing.  There are many sporting legends from Vada Chennai, who have gone on to represent the country in the international arena. For many individuals in the area, their athletic skills provided opportunities for education and a better quality of life. Many athletes have secured jobs in various government departments and the Railways due to their involvement in sports. But of late, the sports…

As I write this, there is a rapid and continuous swell in protests and rallies being organised to demand justice for the 31-year-old junior doctor brutally raped and murdered in Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital. Also rising in numbers and volume are the indignant voices demanding answers from the state of West Bengal on the many inconsistencies and procedural lapses following the incident. The crime committed during the wee hours of August 9th invokes memories of another similar incident on the streets of the national capital in December 2012, now infamous as the ‘Nirbhaya incident’. But several…