GENRE: In Focus Citizen Matters

Delhi struggles to breathe; can the new super commission bring relief?

November 25, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

No one really expected the CAQM to immediately clear up the smog. NCR residents will simply have to wait and hope it shows results next year. The question is, will it?

Solar energy drive to make Shimla a ‘green’ city

November 24, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Ignored and untapped till now, the potential of solar energy to power Shimla and other urban centres is being realised only now .

Hyderabad pavements tell you why a third of its accident victims are pedestrians

November 19, 2020 Kolla Krishna Madhavi

In most places, hawkers and shops have taken over the footpaths; besides, different departments dig them up for installing electric poles, transmission lines and transformers.

Diwali, crackers and COVID: Delhi gears up for responsible celebrations

November 12, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Delhiites, by and large, have welcomed the idea of a cracker-free Diwali amid rising fears of poor air quality accelerating the COVID-19 spread.

Is your city allowed to burst firecrackers this Diwali?

November 11, 2020 Aruna Natarajan

With Diwali approaching, many states have chosen to ban crackers. The NGT has also issued a ban in cities with poor air quality. Where does your state stand?

Hyderabad floods: Who bears the brunt of a golf course on a lake bed?

November 4, 2020 Mimansa Sidhnath

Real scenes and anecdotes from Nadeem Colony reveal the impact of urban floods on the lives of ordinary people. Ironically, many of them knowingly or unknowingly, have a part to play.

A super commission to check air quality in the National Capital Region

November 3, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

The Commission has been given sweeping powers to ensure its orders are implemented and its decisions cannot be challenged in any court.

Struggling to save lives and livelihoods in Pune, post lockdown

October 31, 2020 Ambika Shaligram

The old jobs are out. The only option left to earn some income is to try something different. But how is that panning out in Pune?

Jobs scarce, markets depressed; Chandigarh now hoping for Diwali boost

October 29, 2020 Raj Machhan

The dire need to find alternative sources of income is not limited to just domestic and construction workers. Every category of labour has been hit hard.

Delhi: Festival season’s here, but where have the shoppers gone?

October 27, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

COVID-19, job losses, salary cuts and no bonus have led to muted festival shopping. Sales staff seem confident though that things will look up as Diwali nears.

Hyderabad: Nature has no fury as the environment scorned

October 23, 2020 Kolla Krishna Madhavi

Construction over lake beds, blocking of stormwater drains have aggravated flooding in the city. Not much has changed over the last 20 years in terms of its preparedness to mitigate extreme climate events.

Urban Local Bodies in Karnataka still waiting for crores due to them

October 21, 2020 Himanshu Upadhyaya and Abhishek Punetha

Not only were PRIs and ULBs deprived of grants worth crores, authorities in Karnataka government also failed to get these grants released from the Centre, say CAG auditors.

From 630 to 122: Where did Ahmedabad’s lakes disappear?

October 19, 2020 Darshan Desai

A study of land-use patterns, through Landsat images from 1974 to 2017, has revealed that water bodies in Ahmedabad have been shrinking at a decadal rate of 1.57 square km.

The challenges before Delhi’s ‘Happiness’ teachers, during COVID and otherwise

October 15, 2020 Kriti Gupta

The Happiness Curriculum was introduced in Delhi government schools in 2018. A recent research project tells us how teachers have been faring, before and during the pandemic.

Delhi’s pollution response plan key to flattening its winter COVID curve

October 13, 2020 Sri Krishna

Uncontrolled pollution leads to severe respiratory problems, which could worsen the COVID-19 situation. Can the government’s response plan, with its 10-member high-tech war room, prevent that?