Tremors now, quake soon?

Delhi seems blissfully unaware of the potential danger that earthquakes can pose even when it is located in seismic zone IV. What if an earthquake of 6 magnitude hits Delhi next? The Covid-19 pandemic is slowly gripping Delhi with rising numbers of infection cases. The fight against this crisis is on, but amidst all this […]

Perils of patriarchy amid crisis

An Urdu novel set in the time of Partition reminds us that apart from sexual violence, there are many subtle ways in which women’s agency is suppressed, particularly at a time when everyone is stuck indoors    Saloni*, a social sector professional, has been working from home for more than two months. It has not been […]

Remains of the day: A trail of devastation

After cyclone Amphan ravaged Kolkata, many iconic sites now remain a skeleton of their former selves, as both lives and livelihoods went for a toss Md Naser Ali owns a small nursery in the AE Block of Salt Lake. A plant lover from childhood, he always dreamt of opening up a nursery of his own. […]

They came, they ate, they fled

Farmers of Madhya Pradesh stood watching helplessly as swarms of locusts consumed their standing crop of maize, vegetables and pulses India is now facing the worst desert locust attack. The Centre has issued warnings to 12 states. So far, the pest has destroyed crops in five states — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and […]

Less tests, more cases

India has among the lowest testing rates in the world. And inadequate testing, experts say, is a key reason why Coronavirus cases continue to rise despite two months of the lockdown From the start, India’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic has been handicapped by the lack of adequate testing. In fact, unlike other countries, it […]

Survivors tell their stories

Those who survived Covid-19 are donating plasma to save lives. Their message: stay safe, that is the best way to save others As the old saying goes, the best way out of a crisis is through it. That, however,  is not the case with Covid-19: the best strategy is to avoid the crisis by maintaining […]

Clear and present danger inside a Covid hospital

Dr Subhash Giri has been treating Covid-19 patients since the first one was brought to his northeast Delhi hospital in March. Through gruelling work hours, anxiety, sadness, and death, what keeps him going? Sometime in early March, much before the Coronavirus pandemic exploded and provisions for a national lockdown were announced in India, I learnt […]

The Covid Samaritans

Sweepers, delivery boys, electricians and plumbers, private security guards and garbage collectors are living dangerously to keep us safe and the city running. And what they get in return is paltry salaries, barely enough to sustain them It’s ironic. There was a set of poor working-class people, daily wagers, labourers, construction workers, hawkers and peddlers […]