POLICY Citizen Matters

Points to ponder as India eyes all-electric-car future

September 12, 2017 Milind R

Will Indian city roads see only electric vehicles by 2030? While the government has set ambitious targets, several challenges need to be analysed and overcome before EVs become the norm, say researchers from Bengaluru think tank CSTEP.

New report adds to mounting criticism of India’s Smart Cities Mission

August 22, 2017 Patralekha Chatterjee, Citiscope

A new study by the Housing and Land Rights Network (HRLN) finds the government scheme seriously lacking in inclusivity and social justice. Patralekha Chatterjee reports.

Can Amaravati set land pooling example for a city built from scratch?

August 11, 2017 Divya Dua

Is it possible to ‘pool land’, share it as a common resource and build an entire city on this ideal imagination? Divya Dua looks at the Amaravati model and what it has to offer.

Who will pay for the development of our cities?

August 8, 2017 Prachee Mishra

From AMRUT to Swachh Bharat to Smart Cities, the wide range of schemes in place reflect the government’s thrust on urban development. But how will these schemes be financed? Here’s a primer on the options available and some recent policies meant to help cities improve their finances.

A guide to filing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)

August 2, 2017 Akshatha M

For aware and socially conscious citizens, who wish to right the wrongs they see around them everyday through legal intervention, the PIL is an important tool. Here’s a quick FAQ to help them along the way.

What stops Indian cities from growing their own food?

August 1, 2017 Navya P K

Shrinking land availability, pollution of water sources and the general indifference of urban governments are increasingly leading to a gradual extinction of urban farming and farmers. What could it mean for us?

Proposed heritage law could end up damaging our monuments

July 21, 2017 Ranjit Gadgil

Cabinet-approved amendments to the AMASR Act of 1958 allow construction for ‘public works’ even within the prohibited buffer zone around nationally protected monuments, posing a real threat to these heritage structures.

Does nature stand a chance in this urbanisation frenzy?

July 13, 2017 Smita Mitra

Indian cities need serious, sustained focus on the various components that can improve and nurture their ecosystems. While a few individual and community driven projects raise hopes, a lot remains to be done.

Swachh rankings: Why Alappuzha with its award winning system is in the bottom 100

June 20, 2017 Navya P K

The Alappuzha model of waste management was presented as a zero-waste model at the Paris Climate Conference in 2015. Yet the city stands at a dismal rank of 380 in the recent clean city rankings. Navya P K finds out why.

Why India’s clean city rankings need a serious rethink!

June 16, 2017 Navya P K

The top ranked cities in the Swachh Survekshan 2017 undertaken by the MoUD do not segregate, process or dispose of their waste scientifically. In the first part of an in-depth study, Navya P K finds that the survey criteria are in conflict with the government’s own SWM policy!

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