GENRE: Voices

“For the last five years, I’ve only come to Govandi to report on crime or garbage,” admitted a reporter from a national newspaper during the Govandi Arts Festival 2023. “This is the first time I’m here to cover a story about art, and it’s one created by the youth themselves.” He went on to publish an article titled Govandi Arts Festival: Reimagining Inadequately Built Spaces Through Art and Creativity. It featured young artists who dared to tell their stories using their own voices and mediums. One might wonder why a place like Govandi, home to Mumbai’s largest resettlement population, burdened…

Residents of North Chennai have been vehemently opposing the Greater Chennai Corporation’s (GCC) proposed Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant set to come up in Kodungaiyur. Over the past few months, they have made several representations to GCC officials and Mayor Priya Rajan, and even organised a human chain protest. During their research into the dangers of WTE plants, the group found that these facilities release pollutants including sulphur oxides (SOx), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), hydrogen chloride (HCl), heavy metals, dioxins, and furans — contaminating the air, water, and soil. Waste incineration, in particular, contributes significantly to elevated PM2.5…

On September 1st, the Urban Development Department of the Karnataka government issued draft regulations reducing court-mandated drain buffers for Bengaluru, inviting public comments. We responded with an open letter placing on record our analytical review and evidence-based objections.  Reducing buffers around drains (and lakes) will intensify floods, accelerate water loss, and foster encroachments already flagged by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India's (CAG) audits. It also violates the Karnataka High Court and National Green Tribunal orders, undermines Bengaluru’s Climate Action Plan, and breaches public trust. We urge the government to halt these reductions and act on the CAG's recommendations.…

Indian cities are growing, so are their waste problems. As landfills overflow and garbage blackspots spread, governments suggest waste-to-energy (WTE) plants as a solution. However, incinerators face strong opposition due to their health and environmental impact. So, how do we manage waste sustainably? Reducing waste at source, improving segregation, and promoting local composting can make a significant impact, believes Sumana Narayanan, Deputy Director for Programs at Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives, an organisation fighting waste pollution. An ecologist and environmental researcher, Sumana is an expert in advocacy, sustainable transport, solid waste management, and policy. In an interview with Citizen Matters,…

As a child growing up in Chennai, then called Madras, the two things that made me happiest were a trip to the beach and a ride over the Gemini Flyover. Yes, what seems mundane now was a magical experience in the 1980s. Built in 1973, the Anna Flyover was Chennai’s first and the longest in the country at the time of its construction. It remained the sole flyover until 1993, when nine more came up. Today, with over 42 flyovers and more in the pipeline, Chennai is often referred to as the “City of Flyovers.” But are flyovers truly the answer to the city’s…

In September 2025, the Karnataka government issued a notification modifying the buffer zones around Bengaluru’s stormwater drains and lakes. The new guidelines prescribe just 15 metres for primary drains, 10 metres for secondary, and only 5 metres for tertiary drains—much lower than the earlier mandates of 30/15/10 metres. The notification follows the proposal to amend the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) Act, reducing buffer zones around lakes. Lake buffers, which were at 30 metres, have been proposed to be reduced to a range between 0 and 30 metres, based on the lake's size. This move has been criticised…

A collective of various voluntary groups, civil society organisations, activists, educators and students has demanded urgent state-led action to uphold the right to shelter and dignity for persons living on the streets in Tamil Nadu. This campaign has been initiated by the Information and Resource Centre of the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) and other NGOs in Chennai and across the State, to support homeless people, whose lives are jeopardised by the absence of a dedicated state programme. Here are the recommendations put forward as part of the campaign: State-wide recommendations Tamil Nadu must urgently evolve a state-specific scheme for persons…

In the western suburbs of Mumbai, the Mount Mary and Kane Road areas in Bandra comprise a diverse neighbourhood of 38 high-rise apartments, bungalows, four religious institutions, a school, an orphanage, a hospice, and a women’s hostel. Since 1998, this locality has been actively served by ALM 33 — an Advanced Locality Management unit recognised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its proactive resident group, working to improve the quality of life in the area. For years, the BMC did not have a consistent waste management programme in ALM 33. This led to sanitation issues, including overflowing bins, clogged…

On August 11 2025, the Supreme Court of India directed all authorities in the National Capital Territory — extending to Delhi, Noida, Gurugram and Ghaziabad — to immediately relocate all stray dogs from all localities in the region. The apex court ordered all street dogs to be shifted to dog shelters, from where they must not be released under any circumstances. Any individual or organisation found to obstruct the work of authorities capturing and moving the dogs shall face legal consequences. The order came from a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, hearing a suo moto case…

Democracy is more than just the right to vote or stand for office; it’s about empowering citizens to influence the policies and decisions that shape their daily lives. For a government to be truly responsive, citizen engagement must be at the core of the law-making process. In this system, policies should be crafted not only for the people but with the people, reflecting their concerns and aspirations. Public consultations are vital in strengthening democracy by ensuring policies reflect the needs of those they impact. In February 2021, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) incorporated feedback from Mumbaikars during the city's annual…