Impact 2020
Pandemic
Asiaville
Corona Cyclips: Part 1 | Migrants on Foot | Covering Migrant Crisis on Bicycles
In May, amidst the nationwide lockdown, two Asiaville journalists ventured on a 600-km journey on bicycles from Delhi to Lucknow to cover the impact of the lockdown - the biggest exodus of Indians since partition.
The ground reported story was broadcast live on Asiaville's social media platforms and inspired citizens and organisations to step in to help the migrants and their affected families.
Think Pragati
Ep. 413: How Can We Vaccinate India?
Think Pragati's analysts discuss the costs and logistical issues involved in delivering a COVID-19 vaccine in India. The episode also delves into how India can prioritise parts of the population to ensure an effective response.
The forward-looking episode is one of the most informative takes on vaccine delivery in India, where resources in terms of costs and logistical infrastructure are severely constrained.
Max Maharashtra
कोरोनाला रोखणारं गाव!
Manegav Bazar in Bhandara district of Maharashtra is a rarity in the state – zero COVID-19 cases. Max Maharashtra speaks to Rita Tai Sukhdev, the sarpanch of the village, to find the winning formula. What they found was a pro-active initiated disaster management committee, strict implementation of guidelines, door-to-door visits for motivation and screening by youth-volunteers and quarantine facilities at a local school for migrants returning to the villages.
The story served as an inspiration for other districts in the country as an example of how the community at the local level can come together to combat the Coronavirus. Especially when the state's response to the challenge has been tardy and ineffective.
The Caravan
Bled Dry: How India exploits health workers
The Caravan reports on the state of frontline workers who have been forced to rise up in protest even as they lead the battle against the pandemic. Faced with unacceptable working conditions, inadequate staffing, low salaries, long hours of work, lack of PPEs, etc, they had reached the end of the tether. The government’s response to their issues have been intimidation or apathy.
The story brought the abysmal state of India’s healthcare workers, accentuated by the pandemic, to the fore. It highlighted the almost criminal negligence of India’s health infrastructure for the greater part of seven decades and the price that is being paid now for the continued apathy and inattention.
EastMojo
COVID-19 & flood dealing a big blow to Assam's handloom weavers
The COVID lockdown and the recent floods have ensured that in Assam’s
Sualkuchi town, handloom weavers have faced one of the most crippling
financial downturns in their history. The traditional weavers, whose
creations are legendary for their unique weaves and intricate designs,
have been unable to cope with the fallout. EastMojo
reports that other than the economic fallout, the impact is also a
“socio-cultural catastrophe”, as handloom has an overwhelming presence
in the lives of people.
After EastMojo's report, individual donors directly approached the reporter to send donations to the weavers who were affected.
Down to Earth
COVID-19: Patanjali drugs get go-ahead from govt. but key questions unanswered
Patanjali claimed that it had found a "cure" for COVID-19 that had cleared clinical trials. However, the AYUSH Ministry said that they had allowed the sale of the products only as an immunity booster and not as a medicinal cure for Covid-19. Down To Earth (DTE) investigated Patanjali's claims and reported on their trial design.
DTE was the first to break through the misinformation to expose how the AYUSH ministry had allowed the trial design to be kept vague so that Patanjali could market the products to its advantage. DTE also spoke with the hospitals conducting the trials and found out that they were incomplete. The story was eventually able to junk Patanjali's claims.
The Caravan
Troubling Symptoms: The COVID-19 pandemic could help create a dystopian surveillance regime
The Caravan argues that the "compulsory" use of technology ostensibly to trace and fight the Covid pandemic - like the Aarogya Setu app - can be misused by the agencies of the state. It can lead to the state exercising the power of exclusion and denial of service, upon the citizen's refusal to install the app. More dangerously, the app can be used for surveillance against the citizen.
The time of the Covid has seen governments of countries across the world designing very intrusive systems for battling the dire public-health emergency. However, as this story points, it may, even if inadvertently, have serious consequences on a citizen’s right to privacy and fundamental liberties.
The Caravan
Three migrant workers recount riding their bicycles for hundreds of kilometres to return home
The Caravan chronicles the epic journey of three contract workers in Aligarh - Anil Singh, Manjit Singh and Prem Kumar - who cycled more than 900-kms to reach their respective villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Deprived of income, food and shelter following the lockdown, they took to the roads to reach the relative safety of their homes.
This deep-reported story brought out the trauma of the migrants in vivid detail and seared their struggles on the national consciousness.
The Ken
Favouritism and fake certifications mar India’s ventilator procurement
The Ken reported on how fake certifications and irregularities in tendering process compromised procurement of critical medical equipment like ventilators during the pandemic.
The Ken's story forced the Delhi bureaucracy to take note of the issue and immediately change, and plug the holes, in the procurement process.
CG Net Swara
Impact : खाने की व्यवस्था हो गयी है, लॉकडाउन में मदद मिली...
Saptahik Sadhana
गोड साखरेची कडू कहाणी...
The ground report details the impact of the lockdown on sugarcane factory workers in Maharashtra and how they were unable to reach the relative safety of their homes due to the lack of support from the factory owners and the government.
The story helped draw the attention of the public, the sugar factory owners, and the administration to the plight of these workers.
The Lede
Impact: Indian Embassy In UAE Steps In To Help COVID Positive Indians
The Lede reported on the struggles of Indian Covid-positive migrant workers in the UAE who were unable to find facilities to quarantine safely.
The Indian Embassy in UAE, in response to The Lede's story, arranged safe spaces in Dubai to enable the workers to quarantine themselves.
Alt News
Video of Muslim vendor’s unhygienic handling of fruits falsely linked with spreading coronavirus
Alt News fact-checked multiple instances of misinformation and disinformation that tried to portray Muslims as a community deliberately trying to spread Covid-19. This trend emerged on social media after it was reported that a religious gathering in Delhi turned into a Covid-19 hotspot.
A series of rigorous fact-checks on the subject by Alt News, helped dispel the notion that one particular community was responsible for spreading the coronavirus.
Janjwar
गुड़गांव से लौटे दलित मजदूर को यूपी पुलिस ने इतना पीटा की उसने कर ली आत्महत्या
Janjwar reported on how a migrant youth from Lakhimpur Kheri district in UP died by suicide after being severely assaulted by a policeman when he stepped out of a quarantine centre to buy essential supplies. Before his death, the youth had recorded an audio clip naming the constable and sought action against him.
The video story by Janjwar was watched by close to 19 million people on Facebook. Following the coverage by Janjwar, the police ordered an investigation against the accused.
The Wire
The Wire Impact: Thane Hospital Doctors Finally Get Protective Gear
The Wire’s correspondent visited two Thane-run hospitals and found doctors treating patients without any personal protective equipment (PPE) whatsoever. This when the area had eight COVID-19 positive cases When the reporter approached the officials for their version, she was threatened with being booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Unfazed by the threats, the story was filed and published by The Wire. And the hospitals got their supply of PPEs within 24-hours!
ThePrint
Forget coronavirus, homoeopathy can’t cure anything. It’s a placebo, at best
As Covid took hold, many cures were recommended, including Homeopathy - the second most popular system of cure in India. But ThePrint reports that global experts dismiss its efficacy as, at best a placebo.
An important story which cleared the air about Homeopathy, which was being touted by some, including the government, as an antidote to the Covid-19 virus.
From The Ground
ThePrint
Rich farmers dominate farm protests in India. It’s happening since Charan Singh days
While the farmer agitation against the government’s legislations on agriculture has been intense, ThePrint argues that the beneficiaries of such struggles have not always been small and marginal farmers. Farmer movements, more often than not, have resulted in furthering the interests of big farmers with very little accruing to marginal farmers, and farm labour.
The story brought out the fact that, like the large and medium industry bodies in India, the farmers – big and small - should unite as a group. This unity will help them bargain for better and effective policy reforms, ensuring that the benefits are not to be restricted to a few.
Down to Earth
India’s agrarian distress: How dissent has been on the rise
In the wake of the farmer protests erupting across the country against the Farm Bills passed by parliament, Down to Earth finds that the agitations are not a recent phenomenona. There have been at least 50 major farmer protests in 20 states in the past nine months alone. This is a result of issues such as continued indebtedness, lack of effective crop insurance and remunerative prices.
The story highlights the fact that the agrarian crisis and the fundamental issues that farmers face have been long in the making and not been addressed for years.
Asiaville
Ground Report | Farmers agitation in Punjab | Agriculture Bills | किसानों का बड़ा प्रदर्शन
Asiaville covered the protests in Punjab and Haryana from the ground. The reporter spoke to agitating farmers in Punjab's Patiala, who putting aside the fears of COVID-19 voiced their dissent against the government’s move of - "favouring the corporates" through removal of MSP, implementation of contract farming and hidden dangers in the amended Essential Commodities Act.
This ground report focused attention on the struggles and demands of farmers, when the mainstream media was acting as a "weapon of mass distraction" totally ignoring such critical issues.
The Wire
Delhi Riots 2020: A Critique of Two Purported Fact-Finding Reports
The Wire published a five-part series on the Delhi Riots of February 2020. It went into what it perceived as a “concerted attempt” to present the communal violence in Delhi as the handiwork of a particular religious and ideological network.
This was a critical series of stories which brought out the ambiguities of the actions of the Delhi Police and the contradictions in some of the ‘fact-finding committee’ reports on the violence in North-East Delhi.
Janjwar
दिल्ली के शिव विहार तिराहे पर तांडव और पुलिस की भूमिका
Janjwar covered the Delhi riots from the ground and brought to light the violence and injustices inflicted on a particular section of community. A report from Shiv Vihar, an area in North East Delhi where many homes and a school were burnt down by violent mobs.
The story highlighted the consequences of the pernicious role of the state when it turns a blind eye to communal violence.
Alt News
Truth about “sting” claiming Shaheen Bagh women were paid Rs 500: Alt News-Newslaundry joint investigation
Alt News worked in collaboration with Newslaundry to fact-check a viral claim that protestors at Shaheen Bagh were paid Rs 500 to protest.
The story was impactful in dispelling rumours aimed at maligning the protestors.
The Caravan
The Garden of Freedom: Lessons that Shaheen Bagh teaches us about citizenship
The Caravan reports from the ground in Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, where a makeshift platform became the centre-point of the nation’s attention. A motley bunch of women, students, civil society activists and common citizens led a protest against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). The Act offers refuge to persecuted religious minorities from India’s three neighbours but bars Muslims from its provisions.
The deep-reported and researched story brought home the power of organised citizens to protest the injustices of the state's discrimination and denial of rights.
Governance
India Development Review
NEP 2020: Hits and misses
India Development Review's piece analysed nine key aspects of the New Education Policy 2020 - the major pluses and minuses in an easy to understand format.
Following the publication of the article, NGOs and education groups across India approached the authors of the piece to conduct training sessions.
Saptahik Sadhana
बोगस बियाणांचा फटका शेतकऱ्यांना का?
The story highlighted the issue of the agricultural market being flooded with bogus seeds, thereby severely affecting farmers' produce.
The report spurred many news channels to report on the issue and the government initiated action against bogus-seed manufacturers and sellers.
Live Law
Jeyaraj-Bennix Custodial Deaths: Questions About Lapses Of Magistrate In Ordering Remand
Live Law highlights the critical lapses on part of the Magistrate in the 'Jeyaraj and Bennix case' that were in violation of Article 22 of the Constitution.
Live Law's piece helped trigger a discussion on the need to ensure Magisterial supervision of police custody which is the right of an individual under Article 21.
India Development Review
India’s CSR law: From good, to bad, to worse
India Development Review's (IDR) piece introduces readers to the history of CSR in India and the reasons behind poor corporate compliance. It also offers a critical analysis of why the new rules are unlikely to change corporate culture much.
A leading impact investment firm used the coverage to create their policy brief on how the new amendments to the CSR rules would affect funding for social enterprises. They also used this as talking points in their conversation with the government and investors.
Live Law
Ex-CJI Gogoi's Rajya Sabha Nomination Disturbs Public Faith In Judiciary
In light of the appointment of former CJI Ranjan Gogoi to the Rajya Sabha, Live Law traces similar instances in the past. It points out the irony of the fact that it was a judgement delivered by the constitutional bench headed by the very same CJI, which expressed concern on the impact of post-retirement appointments of tribunal members on judicial independence.
The article highlighted the dangers of judges being influenced by the lure of post-retirement appointments and the pernicious impact it can have on the neutrality of the justice system.
Khabar Lahariya
कीचड़ व जलभराव से मिला छुटकारा, देखिये खबर लहरिया की खबर का असर
Khabar Lahariya reports on the deplorable condition of the road leading to Japura village in Banda district in Uttar Pradesh. The route would be waterlogged and remain inaccessible for the villagers during the monsoon.
A month after the story was published, the route was paved and made into a 'pukka road' which has drastically improved the lives in terms of connectivity and convenience for the residents of the village.
Asiaville
മത്സ്യത്തൊഴിലാളികള് കുടിയിറക്കപ്പെടുമ്പോള്, കടലിന്റെ തീരം ആരുടേത്?
The Kerala government had issued notices against thousands of fishermen alleging that they violated Coastal Regulation Zone rules and had asked them to relocate. Punnapra, a coastal area of Alappuza district in Kerala was affected the most. Asiaville did an in-depth ground reportage by speaking to the fishermen on their struggles, how they were being forced to relocate and how the government’s action of issuing notices has adversely affected their lives.
Following Asiaville’s report, the government stepped in and stopped the relocation and the chief minister of the state intervened and assured the fishermen that the issues will be examined afresh by the administration.
The Lede
Impact: Indian Embassy Begins Probe Into ‘Freedom Fee’ Issue Following The Lede’s Expose
The Lede reported on how recruitment agencies in the Middle East were illegally charging Indian migrant workers a "freedom fee" for their return to India.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait began a probe in response to The Lede's story and the practice of charging migrant workers a "freedom fee" was stopped.
Economy
ThePrint
52% higher borrowing, big drop in revenue — why states are despairing about their finances
ThePrint’s deep-researched story tells the reality of the severe financial crunch that the Indian states face. The combined effects of the economic contraction due to the lockdowns, the additional spending on anti-Covid measures and reduced GST compensation have left them gasping for funds.
The story goes deeper into the structure and shape of the state government finances and sheds light on the financial relations between the Centre and states, an important aspect of India's federalism.
The Ken
Sahay, India’s fintech disruption sequel
The Ken reported on the conflicts of interests involved in the launch of 'Sahay', an app to facilitate lending to MSMEs, which were hit badly by the nationwide lockdowns. The story showed how, the very players involved in the creation of rules were also the market participants.
Following the story, the launch of 'Sahay' was scrapped amidst weak market conditions for MSME lending.
The Ken
Selling to those who can't pay: human cost of modern banking
The Ken reported on how private banks are taking advantage of poor financial literacy to mis-sell financial products to retail customers who have no use for them. The story profiles the case of a poor family which was mis-sold a credit card, a current account and life insurance among other products.
The story helped direct attention to an issue that is rarely talked about and poorly studied even by the banking regulator.
India-China conflict
ThePrint
Why Depsang Plains, eyed by China, is crucial for India’s defence in Ladakh
ThePrint's deep-researched story analyses the role that Depsang Plains - a 972-sq km area at over 16,400 feet - plays in India's defence against China in Ladakh. The story reveals that the stand-off between the two armies in Depsang has preceded the recent skirmishes at the borders by several months.
The story highlights the strategic and military challenges that India faces along its borders. It also narrates the importance of infrastructure development that India has undertaken in the border regions in recent years.
Swarajya
Here Is How India Is Making Smart And Silent Moves To Counter China’s ‘String Of Pearls’ Strategy
Swarajya reports that India has been moving in the past few years to counter China’s ‘string of pearls’ strategy to encircle India and contain its influence in the Indian Ocean Region. Logistic support agreements with Australia and the rise of Quad multilaterals are attempts to expand the power and influence of the Indian Navy.
The story highlights the efforts by India to strengthen itself against Chinese designs in the region and build a ‘blue water navy’ which will enable it to keep the sea lanes open and enforce freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean, and even the South China Sea.
Science & Environment
Imphal Free Press
Irrelevance of 66 MW Loktak downstream hydroelectric project in Manipur
Imphal Free Press analyses the multiple costs that the Loktak hydroelectric project in Manipur has extracted from the state.
It reiterates the futility of hydel projects when more alternatives like solar are increasingly becoming more viable and sustainable.
Down to Earth
Indian scientists find a cure for dreaded Panama Disease
DTE reported on the efforts of Indian researchers who were able to come up with a biopesticide to treat banana plants for a fungal disease called Panama disease, which has ravaged banana plantations across the world.
After DTE's reportage, the Philippines government signed an agreement with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to use the biopesticide in their country.
Kashmir Observer
Plunder in Pandemic: Kashmir's Green Gold Continues to Bleed
Amid the pandemic, even as forest staff are diverted to COVID-19 duties, smugglers and timber mafia seem to have a field day in Kashmir's forests. Kashmir Observer brings you the story from the ground on the plunder of the Union Territory’s trees and forests, Kashmir’s ‘green gold’, even as there are allegations of collusion of the people from the Forest Department.
The story highlights the collateral cost of the pandemic on the environment, especially in an ecologically fragile ecosystem as Kashmir.
The Bastion
Climate Action In A Post Coronavirus World
The Covid-19 induced lockdowns may have had temporary benefits for the environment due to reduced human activity. The Bastion analyses emissions following past recessions to show that these benefits are likely to be short-lived while cash-strapped governments put climate change on the backburner.
The analysis helps readers understand the impact of once-in-a-lifetime events like Covid-19 and the ramifications they are likely to have on climate change.
IndiaSpend
Bengali-Speaking Students In Kannada-Medium Bengaluru School Reveal Journey Of Climate-Change Refugees From Disappearing Islands
IndiaSpend reports on how people living in low-lying areas of states like West Bengal are migrating to urban centres like Bangalore in response to rising sea levels.
IndiaSpend's story from December 2018 helped highlight how Indians are already being displaced from their homes as a result of climate change.
The reporter, Disha Shetty, won the Press Institute of India and International Red Cross award for her series on climate change in October 2019.
Media
The Caravan
The Caravan staffer assaulted by Delhi Police ACP inside Model Town station
In October, The Caravan’s staffer Ahan Penkar was detained and assaulted by the Delhi Police when he went to the Model Town police station in north Delhi to report on the alleged rape and murder of a Dalit girl, with the police refusing to file an FIR. Delhi Police snatched his phone, deleted the data and assaulted him, resulting in visible injuries. Earlier, On 11 August 2020, three journalists working with The Caravan—Shahid Tantray, Prabhjit Singh and a woman journalist—were beaten, subjected to communal slurs, and sexually harassed, while reporting in Subhash Mohalla, in northeast Delhi.
Calling the attacks on The Caravan journalists "reprehensible" and a "dangerous trend", leading media bodies like the Editor's Guild of India, Network of Women in Media and the Committee To Protect Journalists, amongst others, condemned the assault and demanded that the police book the assailants in both cases.
The Wire
UP Police Serve Notice on The Wire, Summon Founding Editor to Ayodhya Despite Lockdown
In April, the UP Police drove 700-km from Ayodhya to Delhi to serve a notice to Siddharth Varadarajan, editor of The Wire, asking him to appear at an Ayodhya police station in four days. This, when the country was in a full lockdown. The FIR was filed after The Wire reported that UP CM had attended a religious event breaking the lockdown guidelines. A second case was also filed alleging the Editor has posted an “objectionable tweet...to spread rumours and hostility among the public”.
Journalism bodies condemned the FIRs against The Wire’s editor and came out in support. The Editors Guild of India described the FIR as “intimidation”. The New York-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists, the South Asia Media Defenders Network and the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ), demanded the immediate withdrawal of cases.
The Caravan
Speaking Positivity to Power
Six hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed the countrywide lockdown, he met 20-editors of the print media and advised them to ‘publish inspiring and positive stories” about the government’s handling of the pandemic. The Caravan reported the story and raised a debate on the media’s role between telling truth to power and “telling positivity to power”. The analysis inferred that the prime minister’s exhortations implied co-opting of the media.
This story was among the first to highlight the dangers of the state using the emergency induced by the pandemic to co-opt the media and make it unquestioningly toe the line. The story was selected by Reuters Institute, Oxford, for being among the ten best stories on Covid-19 from across the world.
Feminism in India
The Media Has A Huge Urban Bias In Reporting Gender-Based Violence
Feminism in India (FII) highlights how gender-based violence (GBV) is reported in the media and points out that most of the reporting on GBV is restricted to urban settings, while similar cases in rural India go largely unreported. The article also highlights how media coverage reflects the power hierarchies in society by largely ignoring issues in the rural areas and the marginalised sections.
The article was part of the #GBVinmedia (Gender-Based Violence) project put together by FII and was cited and amplified by other publications.
Society
Suno India
Treating TB is hard, it is worse if you are a woman
Suno India reports from Sewri TB Hospital in Mumbai on how women patients of Tuberculosis are particularly stigmatised and are not cared for.
The episode helped highlight gender gaps in delivery of Tuberculosis treatment and the social stigmas holding back women from receiving it. The show "Gasping for Breath" is an in-depth take on how the disease is affecting vulnerable groups in India and the inadequacies of the healthcare system.
Satyagrah
जब हम कश्मीर की सबसे बड़ी समस्याओं की बात करते हैं तो उनमें नशा क्यों नहीं शामिल होता?
Kashmir faces many challenges. But, the issue of rampant drug addiction is not counted among them. Satyagrah's ground report tells why it is taking a toll on the society and affecting the livelihoods of people.
The story highlights a critical issue that affects a large segment of the youth but is usually brushed under the carpet.
Kashmir Observer
How Omission of Commission Left Kashmir Women in the Lurch
The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 had unforeseen consequences, including the dissolution of the State Commission for Protection of Women & Child Rights (SCPWCR). This unfavourably impacted the women of the state.
The story tells the consequences of the abrogation of Article 370 on the citizens of Kashmir, and how some of the ill-effects have not been thought through and remedies put in place.
Live History India
Ayodhya: History Beyond the Epics and Politics
On the day that the Prime Minister conducted a "bhoomi pujan" at Ayodhya, Live History India's piece looks at the religious and cultural history of Ayodhya and traces the multiple religions which have had an imprint on the city.
The article gives readers a more comprehensive view of the religious history of Ayodhya beyond the Hindu-Muslim, mandir-masjid politics which have polarised discussions about the city.
Azhimukham
ഉണങ്ങിയ ഇലയില്, ആത്മഹത്യയെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു കേസവസാനിപ്പിക്കാന് പോലീസ്, ദളിത് ബാലന്റെ ദുരൂഹ മരണത്തിൽ തുടർ അന്വേഷണം വേണമെന്ന് ആവശ്യം
Azhimukham reported on the death of a 15-year old Dalit boy in Kerala's Kollam and how the police failed to conduct a proper investigation for 7 months and concluded that it was a case of suicide. The story noted that the family wasn't even allowed to see the post-mortem report even as they were demanding a fresh inquiry into the death by the police.
Following Azhimukham’s coverage, district police was persuaded to order a fresh investigation into the case.
Dool News
അംബേദ്കറിന്റെ പാതയിൽ ഹിന്ദുമതം കൂട്ടമായി ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് തമിഴ്നാട്ടിലെ ദളിതർ | Mass Conversion of Dalits to Islam
Dool News reported on an incident where hundreds of Dalits from Mettupalayam in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, converted to Islam after allegedly facing severe caste oppression and threats of violence.
Dool News' coverage on the issue was noticed and was widely discussed in the media. It helped in drawing attention to the still persisting caste inequities and discrimination in Tamil Nadu.
The News Minute
How exploitation of migrant workers leaves them out of India’s safety nets
Companies based in the Gulf hire people through visitor visas instead of work visas, so that they can pay these workers less and violate labour norms by not paying for life or medical insurance. This deprives them of even critical care under India’s mandatory insurance scheme for all migrant workers, Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY).
The story focuses on the continued and rampant exploitation of Indian workers abroad who are left high, dry and helpless on foreign shores.
Healthcare
The Caravan
Bled Dry: How India exploits health workers
The Caravan reports on the state of frontline workers who have been forced to rise up in protest even as they lead the battle against the pandemic. Faced with unacceptable working conditions, inadequate staffing, low salaries, long hours of work, lack of PPEs, etc, they had reached the end of the tether. The government’s response to their issues have been intimidation or apathy.
The story brought the abysmal state of India’s healthcare workers, accentuated by the pandemic, to the fore. It highlighted the almost criminal negligence of India’s health infrastructure for the greater part of seven decades and the price that is being paid now for the continued apathy and inattention.
The Ken
Favouritism and fake certifications mar India’s ventilator procurement
The Ken reported on how fake certifications and irregularities in tendering process compromised procurement of critical medical equipment like ventilators during the pandemic.
The Ken's story forced the Delhi bureaucracy to take note of the issue and immediately change, and plug the holes, in the procurement process.
The Wire
The Wire Impact: Thane Hospital Doctors Finally Get Protective Gear
The Wire’s correspondent visited two Thane-run hospitals and found doctors treating patients without any personal protective equipment (PPE) whatsoever. This when the area had eight COVID-19 positive cases When the reporter approached the officials for their version, she was threatened with being booked under the Epidemic Diseases Act.
Unfazed by the threats, the story was filed and published by The Wire. And the hospitals got their supply of PPEs within 24-hours!
Livelihood
Asiaville
Corona Cyclips: Part 1 | Migrants on Foot | Covering Migrant Crisis on Bicycles
In May, amidst the nationwide lockdown, two Asiaville journalists ventured on a 600-km journey on bicycles from Delhi to Lucknow to cover the impact of the lockdown - the biggest exodus of Indians since partition.
The ground reported story was broadcast live on Asiaville's social media platforms and inspired citizens and organisations to step in to help the migrants and their affected families.
EastMojo
COVID-19 & flood dealing a big blow to Assam's handloom weavers
The COVID lockdown and the recent floods have ensured that in Assam’s
Sualkuchi town, handloom weavers have faced one of the most crippling
financial downturns in their history. The traditional weavers, whose
creations are legendary for their unique weaves and intricate designs,
have been unable to cope with the fallout. EastMojo
reports that other than the economic fallout, the impact is also a
“socio-cultural catastrophe”, as handloom has an overwhelming presence
in the lives of people.
After EastMojo's report, individual donors directly approached the reporter to send donations to the weavers who were affected.
The Caravan
Three migrant workers recount riding their bicycles for hundreds of kilometres to return home
The Caravan chronicles the epic journey of three contract workers in Aligarh - Anil Singh, Manjit Singh and Prem Kumar - who cycled more than 900-kms to reach their respective villages in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Deprived of income, food and shelter following the lockdown, they took to the roads to reach the relative safety of their homes.
This deep-reported story brought out the trauma of the migrants in vivid detail and seared their struggles on the national consciousness.
Saptahik Sadhana
गोड साखरेची कडू कहाणी...
The ground report details the impact of the lockdown on sugarcane factory workers in Maharashtra and how they were unable to reach the relative safety of their homes due to the lack of support from the factory owners and the government.
The story helped draw the attention of the public, the sugar factory owners, and the administration to the plight of these workers.
Response
Think Pragati
Ep. 413: How Can We Vaccinate India?
Think Pragati's analysts discuss the costs and logistical issues involved in delivering a COVID-19 vaccine in India. The episode also delves into how India can prioritise parts of the population to ensure an effective response.
The forward-looking episode is one of the most informative takes on vaccine delivery in India, where resources in terms of costs and logistical infrastructure are severely constrained.
Max Maharashtra
कोरोनाला रोखणारं गाव!
Manegav Bazar in Bhandara district of Maharashtra is a rarity in the state – zero COVID-19 cases. Max Maharashtra speaks to Rita Tai Sukhdev, the sarpanch of the village, to find the winning formula. What they found was a pro-active initiated disaster management committee, strict implementation of guidelines, door-to-door visits for motivation and screening by youth-volunteers and quarantine facilities at a local school for migrants returning to the villages.
The story served as an inspiration for other districts in the country as an example of how the community at the local level can come together to combat the Coronavirus. Especially when the state's response to the challenge has been tardy and ineffective.
The Caravan
Troubling Symptoms: The COVID-19 pandemic could help create a dystopian surveillance regime
The Caravan argues that the "compulsory" use of technology ostensibly to trace and fight the Covid pandemic - like the Aarogya Setu app - can be misused by the agencies of the state. It can lead to the state exercising the power of exclusion and denial of service, upon the citizen's refusal to install the app. More dangerously, the app can be used for surveillance against the citizen.
The time of the Covid has seen governments of countries across the world designing very intrusive systems for battling the dire public-health emergency. However, as this story points, it may, even if inadvertently, have serious consequences on a citizen’s right to privacy and fundamental liberties.
CG Net Swara
Impact : खाने की व्यवस्था हो गयी है, लॉकडाउन में मदद मिली...
The Lede
Impact: Indian Embassy In UAE Steps In To Help COVID Positive Indians
The Lede reported on the struggles of Indian Covid-positive migrant workers in the UAE who were unable to find facilities to quarantine safely.
The Indian Embassy in UAE, in response to The Lede's story, arranged safe spaces in Dubai to enable the workers to quarantine themselves.
Janjwar
गुड़गांव से लौटे दलित मजदूर को यूपी पुलिस ने इतना पीटा की उसने कर ली आत्महत्या
Janjwar reported on how a migrant youth from Lakhimpur Kheri district in UP died by suicide after being severely assaulted by a policeman when he stepped out of a quarantine centre to buy essential supplies. Before his death, the youth had recorded an audio clip naming the constable and sought action against him.
The video story by Janjwar was watched by close to 19 million people on Facebook. Following the coverage by Janjwar, the police ordered an investigation against the accused.
Misinformation
Down to Earth
COVID-19: Patanjali drugs get go-ahead from govt. but key questions unanswered
Patanjali claimed that it had found a "cure" for COVID-19 that had cleared clinical trials. However, the AYUSH Ministry said that they had allowed the sale of the products only as an immunity booster and not as a medicinal cure for Covid-19. Down To Earth (DTE) investigated Patanjali's claims and reported on their trial design.
DTE was the first to break through the misinformation to expose how the AYUSH ministry had allowed the trial design to be kept vague so that Patanjali could market the products to its advantage. DTE also spoke with the hospitals conducting the trials and found out that they were incomplete. The story was eventually able to junk Patanjali's claims.
Alt News
Video of Muslim vendor’s unhygienic handling of fruits falsely linked with spreading coronavirus
Alt News fact-checked multiple instances of misinformation and disinformation that tried to portray Muslims as a community deliberately trying to spread Covid-19. This trend emerged on social media after it was reported that a religious gathering in Delhi turned into a Covid-19 hotspot.
A series of rigorous fact-checks on the subject by Alt News, helped dispel the notion that one particular community was responsible for spreading the coronavirus.
ThePrint
Forget coronavirus, homoeopathy can’t cure anything. It’s a placebo, at best
As Covid took hold, many cures were recommended, including Homeopathy - the second most popular system of cure in India. But ThePrint reports that global experts dismiss its efficacy as, at best a placebo.
An important story which cleared the air about Homeopathy, which was being touted by some, including the government, as an antidote to the Covid-19 virus.
CAA/NRC
Alt News
Truth about “sting” claiming Shaheen Bagh women were paid Rs 500: Alt News-Newslaundry joint investigation
Alt News worked in collaboration with Newslaundry to fact-check a viral claim that protestors at Shaheen Bagh were paid Rs 500 to protest.
The story was impactful in dispelling rumours aimed at maligning the protestors.
The Caravan
The Garden of Freedom: Lessons that Shaheen Bagh teaches us about citizenship
The Caravan reports from the ground in Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, where a makeshift platform became the centre-point of the nation’s attention. A motley bunch of women, students, civil society activists and common citizens led a protest against the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). The Act offers refuge to persecuted religious minorities from India’s three neighbours but bars Muslims from its provisions.
The deep-reported and researched story brought home the power of organised citizens to protest the injustices of the state's discrimination and denial of rights.
Delhi riots
The Wire
Delhi Riots 2020: A Critique of Two Purported Fact-Finding Reports
The Wire published a five-part series on the Delhi Riots of February 2020. It went into what it perceived as a “concerted attempt” to present the communal violence in Delhi as the handiwork of a particular religious and ideological network.
This was a critical series of stories which brought out the ambiguities of the actions of the Delhi Police and the contradictions in some of the ‘fact-finding committee’ reports on the violence in North-East Delhi.
Janjwar
दिल्ली के शिव विहार तिराहे पर तांडव और पुलिस की भूमिका
Janjwar covered the Delhi riots from the ground and brought to light the violence and injustices inflicted on a particular section of community. A report from Shiv Vihar, an area in North East Delhi where many homes and a school were burnt down by violent mobs.
The story highlighted the consequences of the pernicious role of the state when it turns a blind eye to communal violence.
Farmer protests
ThePrint
Rich farmers dominate farm protests in India. It’s happening since Charan Singh days
While the farmer agitation against the government’s legislations on agriculture has been intense, ThePrint argues that the beneficiaries of such struggles have not always been small and marginal farmers. Farmer movements, more often than not, have resulted in furthering the interests of big farmers with very little accruing to marginal farmers, and farm labour.
The story brought out the fact that, like the large and medium industry bodies in India, the farmers – big and small - should unite as a group. This unity will help them bargain for better and effective policy reforms, ensuring that the benefits are not to be restricted to a few.
Down to Earth
India’s agrarian distress: How dissent has been on the rise
In the wake of the farmer protests erupting across the country against the Farm Bills passed by parliament, Down to Earth finds that the agitations are not a recent phenomenona. There have been at least 50 major farmer protests in 20 states in the past nine months alone. This is a result of issues such as continued indebtedness, lack of effective crop insurance and remunerative prices.
The story highlights the fact that the agrarian crisis and the fundamental issues that farmers face have been long in the making and not been addressed for years.
Asiaville
Ground Report | Farmers agitation in Punjab | Agriculture Bills | किसानों का बड़ा प्रदर्शन
Asiaville covered the protests in Punjab and Haryana from the ground. The reporter spoke to agitating farmers in Punjab's Patiala, who putting aside the fears of COVID-19 voiced their dissent against the government’s move of - "favouring the corporates" through removal of MSP, implementation of contract farming and hidden dangers in the amended Essential Commodities Act.
This ground report focused attention on the struggles and demands of farmers, when the mainstream media was acting as a "weapon of mass distraction" totally ignoring such critical issues.
Society
Satyagrah
जब हम कश्मीर की सबसे बड़ी समस्याओं की बात करते हैं तो उनमें नशा क्यों नहीं शामिल होता?
Kashmir faces many challenges. But, the issue of rampant drug addiction is not counted among them. Satyagrah's ground report tells why it is taking a toll on the society and affecting the livelihoods of people.
The story highlights a critical issue that affects a large segment of the youth but is usually brushed under the carpet.
Live History India
Ayodhya: History Beyond the Epics and Politics
On the day that the Prime Minister conducted a "bhoomi pujan" at Ayodhya, Live History India's piece looks at the religious and cultural history of Ayodhya and traces the multiple religions which have had an imprint on the city.
The article gives readers a more comprehensive view of the religious history of Ayodhya beyond the Hindu-Muslim, mandir-masjid politics which have polarised discussions about the city.
Azhimukham
ഉണങ്ങിയ ഇലയില്, ആത്മഹത്യയെന്ന് പറഞ്ഞു കേസവസാനിപ്പിക്കാന് പോലീസ്, ദളിത് ബാലന്റെ ദുരൂഹ മരണത്തിൽ തുടർ അന്വേഷണം വേണമെന്ന് ആവശ്യം
Azhimukham reported on the death of a 15-year old Dalit boy in Kerala's Kollam and how the police failed to conduct a proper investigation for 7 months and concluded that it was a case of suicide. The story noted that the family wasn't even allowed to see the post-mortem report even as they were demanding a fresh inquiry into the death by the police.
Following Azhimukham’s coverage, district police was persuaded to order a fresh investigation into the case.
Dool News
അംബേദ്കറിന്റെ പാതയിൽ ഹിന്ദുമതം കൂട്ടമായി ഉപേക്ഷിച്ച് തമിഴ്നാട്ടിലെ ദളിതർ | Mass Conversion of Dalits to Islam
Dool News reported on an incident where hundreds of Dalits from Mettupalayam in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, converted to Islam after allegedly facing severe caste oppression and threats of violence.
Dool News' coverage on the issue was noticed and was widely discussed in the media. It helped in drawing attention to the still persisting caste inequities and discrimination in Tamil Nadu.
The News Minute
How exploitation of migrant workers leaves them out of India’s safety nets
Companies based in the Gulf hire people through visitor visas instead of work visas, so that they can pay these workers less and violate labour norms by not paying for life or medical insurance. This deprives them of even critical care under India’s mandatory insurance scheme for all migrant workers, Pravasi Bharatiya Bima Yojana (PBBY).
The story focuses on the continued and rampant exploitation of Indian workers abroad who are left high, dry and helpless on foreign shores.
Gender
Suno India
Treating TB is hard, it is worse if you are a woman
Suno India reports from Sewri TB Hospital in Mumbai on how women patients of Tuberculosis are particularly stigmatised and are not cared for.
The episode helped highlight gender gaps in delivery of Tuberculosis treatment and the social stigmas holding back women from receiving it. The show "Gasping for Breath" is an in-depth take on how the disease is affecting vulnerable groups in India and the inadequacies of the healthcare system.
Kashmir Observer
How Omission of Commission Left Kashmir Women in the Lurch
The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 had unforeseen consequences, including the dissolution of the State Commission for Protection of Women & Child Rights (SCPWCR). This unfavourably impacted the women of the state.
The story tells the consequences of the abrogation of Article 370 on the citizens of Kashmir, and how some of the ill-effects have not been thought through and remedies put in place.