Many local, nutritious food varieties in Bengaluru have nearly disappeared over time. While millets like ragi are now making a comeback, there are still several crops we have not even heard of.
Bengaluru only has around 3% of its green cover left. Can the city cope if 5,000 trees in its periphery are chopped off for yet another road widening project?
Though the Forest Department says 5000-odd trees have to axed for the ‘Bangalore Surrounding Roads Project’, data discrepancies makes this number suspect. Secrecy around the project has made citizen engagement nearly impossible too.
Why are the majority of footpaths in Bengaluru unusable? A major reason is that these are built as per the discretion of the local engineer and contractor, without adhering to any specific standards.
Many private hospitals that the government empanelled for COVID treatment don’t have the necessary staff and facilities. Also, despite government orders, hospitals are only willing to treat patients who are routed by BBMP.
Predicting that informal workers in urban centres could take longer to bounce back from the effects of the lockdown, experts suggest a slew of measures that can mitigate their difficulties.
The number of COVID cases in Bengaluru has been sharply rising of late. The city’s commercial establishments do have some safety measures in place, but are these enough?
From banning domestic workers to forcing additional quarantine on residents, many RWAs have made their own rules. The legality of these rules is highly questionable, but BBMP Commissioner says he won’t interfere.
Adding alcohol to the already-potent mix of livelihood loss and food insecurity set off a range of mental health issues. It manifested in domestic conflicts in low-income households. Women were often at the receiving end of volatile emotions and domestic violence.
With no income, the lockdown affected every aspect of an informal worker’s life. It was only reverse remittances that kept them afloat, finds out the first of this four-part Ground Reality Series