Society | Citizen Matters, Bengaluru

Residents of Sobha Ultima in North Bengaluru, distribute ration kits to those in need. Pic: Mamtha B K

Yelahanka apartment community ensures food for 2500 during lockdown

May 13, 2020 Mamtha B K

When a couple of residents in a Yelahanka apartment community sought fellow residents’ help to feed migrant workers, the response was overwhelming.

Residents of Vasanth Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association (VRWA) step out during the lockdown to distribute relief kits to those in need. Pic: VRWA

How Vasanth Nagar residents quelled hunger in their neighbourhood during lockdown

May 5, 2020 Balasubramanya Ramaswamy

Since the lockdown began, Vasanth Nagar RWA developed a system to procure, pack and supply groceries to those in need. They have distributed 1200 grocery bags so far.

COVID-19 lockdown: Bengaluru cab drivers in deep financial mess

May 4, 2020 Radio Active 90.4MHz

During lockdown, cab drivers have received no support from the government. They are unable to support their families or pay the EMIs on their vehicles.

“People with disability are worse affected by COVID-19”

May 4, 2020 Radio Active 90.4MHz

People with disability are more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 since they may seek help from others more often. Financial difficulties and lack of accessible information worsen the situation.

On Labour Day, a look into the homes and lives of Namma Metro workers

May 1, 2020 Angarika Guha

Often 12-20 workers are crammed into a 10×10 ft room or even smaller. The rooms are poorly ventilated, and there’s only toilet for over a hundred people in many labour colonies.

Sakuntala, 80, seated on the stage in the yellow saree, interacting with senior citizens at Nightingales Centre in Malleswaram before the nationwide lockdown came into effect. Pic courtesy: Sakuntala Narasimhan

“Middle-class senior citizens left in the lurch during lockdown”

April 28, 2020 Sakuntala Narasimhan

The government had promised much during the lockdown – availability and home delivery of essentials, financial relief for senior citizens, and so on. Yet middle-class senior citizens have been left in the lurch.

How Bengaluru cyclists are helping the elderly during lockdown

April 27, 2020 Sathya Sankaran

Cyclists across the city are volunteering to distribute groceries and medicines to seniors during lockdown. Here’s how they got together and ramped up the initiative.

Farm to Home Networks go into overdrive in locked down Bengaluru

April 24, 2020 Bindu Gopal Rao

Internet-based farm-to-doorstep networks are not new forms of agricultural distribution. Although on a very limited scale, they have proved to be a balm for farmers, at least for the moment. One can only hope that such a model can be scaled up to include more beneficiaries, both on the supply and demand side.

Bengaluru's Silk Board Junction during the COVID-19 lockdown. Pic: Naveeen Thomas Prasad

Here’s how Bengaluru looks during COVID-19 lockdown

April 22, 2020 News Desk

It’s been nearly a month since Bengaluru has been under lockdown. With few people on the streets, the city is both quiet and beautiful now – watch this in two recent drone videos.

COVID-19 lockdown: Bengaluru’s informal workers struggle to meet food, rent expenses

April 22, 2020 Harsha Raj Gatty

Domestic workers who aren’t welcome to work anymore, cab drivers and street vendors who can’t go out – informal workers in the city are a frustrated lot as they have no work or wages anymore. Many are unable to meet basic expenses for food and rent.

How to comply with COVID-19 lockdown: A Bengaluru apartment shows the way

April 20, 2020 Shivanand Prabhu

An apartment community in Yelahanka New Town shows the way in how to adhere to the lockdown while also ensuring the well-being of residents and workers. The community also helped ensure social distancing in the neighbourhood, and supplied food to those in distress.

Solving hunger crisis during lockdown: A guide to documenting migrant workers in need

April 19, 2020 Angarika Guha and Senthil S

Despite initiatives for food supply, large numbers of migrant workers in Bengaluru remain hungry during the lockdown. You can document these workers, either to pass on their information to ward officials, or to supply food directly.

Help for senior citizens during COVID-19 lockdown

April 17, 2020 Ekta Sawant

Senior citizens are highly vulnerable now, both due to difficulty accessing services and their higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Here are some initiatives – delivery of essentials, help with hospital visits, counselling services etc – specifically to help seniors in this period.

A hunger problem you can fix: Sadashivanagar residents reach out to migrant workers

April 12, 2020 G V Dasarathi

As several migrant workers were left without subsistence following the lockdown, three residents of Sadashivanagar went around to identify them, pool resources and then distribute rations.

From food supply to information sharing: How a citizen collective is helping Bengaluru deal with COVID-19

April 9, 2020 Pravir Bagrodia

As soon as the first COVID-19 case was reported from Whitefield, the citizen collective Whitefield Rising started responding. They have sourced accurate information for residents, supplied essentials to migrant labourers, and so on.