GENRE: Voices

If Mumbaikars can gather for festivals, political rallies and celebrations, can they not rally for the right to breathe? That question and a sense of growing frustration and urgency were what led to the formation of the Human Chain for Clean Air — a citizen-driven movement demanding urgent government intervention. For weeks, the AQI in Mumbai has crossed hazardous levels, affecting children, senior citizens and working professionals alike. Each of us has been noticing that people around us are constantly coughing, children are falling sick frequently, and senior citizens are struggling to walk without breathlessness. I realised that instead of…

Walk through any city, and you'll encounter Nature-based solutions (NbS) everywhere: urban parks providing respite from hot streets, wetlands filtering stormwater, and trees along busy roads reducing air pollution, among others. This green infrastructure, however, is often viewed through a narrow lens—as mere providers of shade, picturesque spaces, or recreational spots.  This limited perspective has harmful consequences. When development pressures mount or budgets tighten, these natural assets become expendable and are often removed without proper analysis of their multidimensional benefits. This is where quantifying the benefits of NbS becomes essential. By measuring and monetising the value these solutions provide, we…

For someone living in the suburbs along Sarjapur Road, the promise of “public transport and walkable Bengaluru” still feels like a distant dream. I was once a regular commuter on Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation's (BMTC) 500EB (Electronics City–KR Puram) route for nearly six months. But by 2024, I had given up — worn out by unreliable service and unsafe pedestrian crossings, especially at Doddanekundi (Bagmane Constellation). I switched to driving, like most others in my neighbourhood. On November 7th, 2025, I decided to give public transport another chance. The morning trial I started around 8.30 am, optimistic about using the…

With air pollution levels hovering between the 'poor' and 'severe' categories, Delhi has been gasping for breath. The air quality has continued to deteriorate, with the capital recording an AQI of 372 on December 2nd, according to the Central Pollution Control Board. So, is the winter mist coupled with the vehicular pollution only to blame? The reality is more complex than that. Dust from construction activity and malba or construction and demolition (C&D) waste contribute significantly to air pollution in Delhi. Moreover, managing this waste is a huge challenge for the city's civic administration, and the majority of C&D waste…

The much-awaited elections to the richest civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are expected to take place soon. Mumbai has not had elected representatives for over three years. The term of the previous corporators ended in March 2022.  As Mumbaikars ready themselves to cast their votes, Praja Foundation, an organisation working to hold governments accountable, has brought out a 'Citizens' Manifesto' for Maharashtra. The manifesto calls for improvement in core urban services, open and free access to municipal data, protection of the urban environment, and better citizen participation and accountability. The manifesto calls for urgent reforms and gives a practical roadmap…

The Pallikaranai Marshland, one of Chennai’s last remaining natural wetlands, has long been a site of ecological tension. Its designation as a Ramsar site brought national and international recognition, along with renewed expectations for strong conservation measures. Yet the marshland continues to face intense pressure from urban development, infrastructure projects and real estate expansion.  Recently, Arappor Iyakkam, an anti-corruption organisation, alleged that state agencies illegally cleared environmental and construction approvals for a large high-value housing project within the Ramsar boundary. As the matter unfolds, it reveals how regulatory gaps and political inaction make the marsh vulnerable. Meanwhile, residents of Tansi…

Amidst the green hues of the Lalbagh Botanical Gardens in Bengaluru, conversations on mental health are getting a new shade. On one Saturday morning each month, beneath the majestic trees, people from different backgrounds gather to interact with mental health professionals. The discussions span a wide variety of themes such as emotional well-being, suicide prevention, digital overuse and much more, creating an open forum where dialogue replaces one-way information. This initiative, called Community Connect, envisioned by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), converts a public park into a space for shared learning and support. The Mental Health…

Municipal elections rarely make global headlines. Yet the recent election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City reverberated around the world. Far more than a leadership change in one city, it signals a profound shift in how urban politics is imagined, contested, and won in the centre of global capitalism and the largest urban centre of the United States. At its heart, it was a referendum on who gets to claim the city: the affluent few who see the metropolis as a portfolio of assets, or the millions who call it home. Mamdani’s victory, as the child of…

On October 15th, the Karnataka government released the Draft Karnataka Domestic Workers (Social Security and Welfare) Bill, 2025, for public consultation. This move follows the Supreme Court’s directive calling for a well-defined legal framework to safeguard and regulate the rights of domestic workers. Stakeholders have welcomed the state government's proposed legislation, but concerns remain about key provisions in the draft bill. Domestic workers' unions and Bengaluru apartment groups have addressed a letter to the Karnataka Labour Minister highlighting these issues, including insights from an Oorvani Foundation roundtable. Also, scroll further down for a report on citizen feedback gathered by Civis through a public…

As the realities of climate change become increasingly evident, conversations around its psychological impact are more important than ever. In the first part of this series, we shared the experiences of individuals navigating eco/climate anxiety in their daily lives. In this second part, we speak with two experts, Cauviya and Samatha, to delve deeper into eco-anxiety and eco-grief and examine how environmental changes are influencing mental health across different social groups. Read more: Bengaluru’s street vendors are the first to be impacted by climate change: Lekha Adavi About the experts Cauviya Cauviya is an industrial/organisational psychologist who is trained in…