Society | Citizen Matters

“We oppose gay sex!”

September 11, 2018 Tejas A P

Well ok, not really gay sex, but the author objects to the interpretation of the landmark Supreme Court judgment as one that’s only about gay sex. As media and society are fixated on the verdict decriminalising same sex relationships, here’s a warning against viewing it through a narrow lens.

Waiting to dance: What the queer community and supporters anticipate after Sec 377 verdict

September 10, 2018 News Desk

The LGBTQ+ community in India and all those who stand for their rights have been celebrating the SC verdict decriminalizing consensual homosexual acts. Amid the jubilation, we listen in to a few voices from the ground on what this landmark judgment really means for the people.

How an artist in Pune is trying to save the city’s dying ‘Muthai’

September 6, 2018 Aarti Kelkar Khambete

Pune-based artist Madhavi Kolte has always used her art for the cause of the environment and to raise people’s awareness about it. Her recent association with citizens’ collective Jeevitnadi has now made her stand up for the highly polluted Mutha river in the city.

City Buzz: Cities on the boil over activist arrests | NCR submerged | Mumbai eyes inglorious record… and more

September 3, 2018 News Desk

From the crackdown on several city-based activists to the biggest ever municipal bonds issue by an Indian city — check out some of the major headlines from urban India over the last week.

Books in their hand, dreams in their head: Community library project changes kids

August 17, 2018 Kasturika Ramamoorthy

In New Delhi and Gurgaon, The Community Library Project is taking reading to all sections of society with the involvement of the local community. Providing more than just books, the library is a lively space and engages its members through workshops and events.

Forget battle between Delhi CM and governor; here’s the real issue with CCTV cameras

August 9, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

Arvind Kejriwal wants CCTVs around the capital. LG Anil Baijal imposes numerous conditions and constraints. That has been the dominant narrative in this controversy so far. But what exactly can these cameras achieve for a city and where lie the pitfalls?

An open letter to parents: You need to protect your child from sexual abuse

July 19, 2018 Sonal Kellogg

Child rape has assumed pandemic proportions in India. Often parents don’t have the slightest inkling of the abuse faced by the victim, as in the recent Chennai case. A CSA survivor writes an open letter to parents, telling them about the role they have to play in protecting their child.

Bubbling with energy, these Kolkata kids taught apartment elders how to save energy

July 18, 2018 Biswajit Majumder

Ably guided by an aware and responsible citizen, a group of kids from a Kolkata apartment complex undertook a novel summer project — educating themselves and elders in the community about saving water, energy and the environment in general.

Where and how to file a complaint against online trolling

July 17, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

They spare no one — whether it’s an union minister or you! A quick look at how to get the offender booked under law, if you have been a victim of online harrassment, intimidation or abuse.

Where have all the girls gone?

July 10, 2018 Revathi Siva Kumar

It sounds counter-intuitive but do you know that the overall child sex ratio in the 0-6 years group in India is actually pulled down by the alarming ratio in cities? That this ratio is actually lower among mothers with more than 10 years of education? A look at the reasons behind the gender imbalance in urban India.

City buzz: SC verdict on Delhi vs Centre, Mumbai bridge collapse and more

July 7, 2018 News Desk

Quick weekend reading for you — a recap of some of the important headlines from our cities. Stay abreast of what’s happening.

What the young, educated woman in the city needs to wake up to

June 27, 2018 Dr Janani Iyer

She is educated, successful in her professional career and a multi-tasker. And yet, the urban Indian woman remains woefully ignorant about her health risks and reproductive health. A gynaecologist shares her views.

Indian cities stare at a mountain of e-waste, with little idea of how to manage it

June 11, 2018 Vrushal Pendharkar

The next time you think of buying a new cell phone or television on a whim, you might want to consider the effect it has on the environment and on human health. A recent study shows how the generation of e-waste, in India, growing at around 25 percent every year, has far reaching effects on the environment and the health of workers who segregate improperly disposed e-waste.

Labelled, bullied, humiliated: What LGBT students in our schools go through

June 11, 2018 Satarupa Sen Bhattacharya

A young researcher in Mumbai asked high school students from the LGBT community to share their experience in their schools. Close to 200 people from across cities responded and their tales are alarming.

Looking beyond Red Fort: Is privatisation the only way to save our monuments?

May 8, 2018 Sujit Patwardhan

The adoption of the Red Fort by Dalmia Bharat has drawn flak from various sections of society. But it is not just about the Red Fort; the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme itself raises serious questions concerning preservation of monuments and urban heritage.