Society | Citizen Matters

Growing vegetables, storing rice: Lessons from Srinagar that has seen and survived many lockdowns

April 21, 2020 Abid Bashir Wani

The people of Kashmir have learnt some important survival lessons from coping with decades of conflict and resulting restrictions. So much so that Kashmiris living elsewhere are now calling home for advice on how to cope with life under lockdown.

Op-ed: Why cities must strive for equality to fight COVID-19 effectively

April 20, 2020 Robin King, Jillian Du and Radha Chanchani

Social distancing, washing hands — all these are critically important responses to the pandemic, but such directives assume that residents have adequate space, services and social safety nets to carry out these orders. This is simply not the reality across cities in India and in many countries of the world.

Getting to the roots of domestic violence and how to seek help during the lockdown

April 20, 2020 Deepa Vaishnavi V M

The coronavirus lockdown has led to a sharp rise in instances of domestic abuse across India. What is the reason for such a spike in cases and how can the sufferer seek help in these difficult times? We spoke to Dr Lata Hemchand to understand the problem through a psychologist’s lens.

How the people of Chandigarh are rallying behind Kashmiri migrants stuck in their city

April 17, 2020 Raj Machhan

A group of 21 Kashmiri traders who came to Chandigarh in winter, as they have been doing for decades, are now stuck there because of the lockdown, and have found unconditional support from the local population.

How youth from a Mumbai slum ensured food for all in the community during the COVID crisis

April 17, 2020 Kaustubh Jagtap

It was not a mean feat — battling poverty, the lockdown and even antagonism from some higher powers. But in an amazing display of method, generosity and resilience, youth from Bhagat Singh Nagar slum gathered under the banner of ‘Bhakar Foundation’ to ensure noone in the slum went hungry.

Living in the present: How citizens of Ahmedabad are adapting to the COVID lockdown

April 16, 2020 Binita Parikh

The enterprising Ahmedabadi spirit is showing itself even under the present circumstances. “Covid sales” with huge discounts are floating online for products like night gowns, comfortable lounge wear, organic wellness products and Ayurvedic concoctions, with payment now and delivery after lockdown.

Shimla: Hunger looms large as jobs fall prey to COVID-19

April 15, 2020 Ashwani Sharma

Sirmauris, as natives from Shillai are known, have been living for years in Shimla working as porters, tourist guides, taxi drivers, private security and waiters. So have the roughly 8000 porters from Kashmir. But none of them have faced such a financial crisis ever before, unable to meet even their basic food needs.

In Pune, citizens and corporate groups help reach aid to the ones worst hit by lockdown

March 29, 2020 Ekta Joshi

In Pune, as in other cities, daily wage earners, migrant labourers and senior citizens are among those who are worst hit by the nationwide lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. A look at how social and corporate organisations are helping them survive these difficult times.

Little relief for these migrant labourers as they stare at a long, hard struggle ahead

March 28, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Caught between the devil and the deep sea, migrant workers in the Kausambi area of NCR, which falls in UP, face a stark choice: stay put and starve or get home somehow, which for most is 700 km away.

Caremongers, a citizen-led group has joined hands with local authorities and delivery services in several cities to ensure that help is offered to those in need. Recently, Dunzo has come forward to support their initiative. Pic: Caremongers Facebook Page

COVID-19: Here’s how you can help those in need, financially or otherwise

March 27, 2020 Ekta Sawant

Several individuals and groups have come together to offer help to the poor and vulnerable in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. We have put together a list of some initiatives that you may wish to support and join, to help them.

16 ways to volunteer from home during the COVID lockdown

March 26, 2020 Rinku Mecheri

More often than not, volunteers are people who are lead from the front on ground zero, setting a trail for others to follow. However, with a lockdown imposed for 21 days, how can people still pitch in to volunteer for the causes they hold dear?

Stuck with kids in quarantine? Here are a few things to keep them busy with

March 26, 2020 Manasi Paresh Kumar

A list of online resources to keep kids engaged as they spend time indoors

Another 21 days! Stay productive with these work-from-home tips

March 25, 2020 Sandhya Raju

Every employee finds it challenging to work from home. To stay motivated sans office environment requires utmost dedication. Read this guide to know how to make the best of this opportunity.

How digitisation has silenced the typists on their Remingtons outside Calcutta High Court

March 24, 2020 Gurvinder Singh

Once ubiquitous outside the Calcutta High Court, today only around 25 typists operate on the footpath outside the Court. But with increasing digitization, they too will soon fade away.

From Shah Jahan’s court to the present: Tales of a dying trade from Delhi’s last deed writer

March 16, 2020 Vijaya Pushkarna

Satya Narain Saxena, the tenth generation of a family of legal deed writers, is today the last surviving document writer of Delhi. His family history goes back to the times of emperor Shah Jahan while some of his ancestors were in Maharaja Jai Singh’s court in Amer. 85-plus Saxena regales us with his stories