As of the time of writing these lines, the number of deaths due to drinking contaminated water in Indore has reached 20. Thirty two people are still in the ICU, more than 398 are admitted to hospitals, and over 2,700 have already received treatment. The government is now claiming that the situation is under control. The truth is, nothing is stable. Given the quality of water being supplied and the condition of the patients and the general public, the number of sick people, critically ill patients, and deaths is constantly changing.

The Supreme Court (SC) has put in abeyance its own decision on the Aravalli range of November 20, 2025, in the wake of widespread anger expressed by farmers, women, rural labourers, tribals, environmentalist groups and other concerned citizens. Fire of contention in this case arose from the Supreme Court’s acceptance of a new definition submitted by the Ministry of Forest and Environment according to which, hills less than 100 metres from the relief will not qualify to be hills and thereby lose protection from the mining.

The magnificent victory of the 16-month long mass movement against  forcibly setting up of an ethanol factory has found a proud place among some of the few successful agitations that took on the ‘double engine’ corporate-communal government head on.

“IN Kerala, I can breathe,” said Seema Chishti, senior journalist and editor of The Wire. She was talking not only about the contrast between the toxic air in Delhi and the fresh breeze from the Arabian Sea that was wafting across the open-air stage she was on in Kochi as she spoke in a session as part of the first Indian Cultural Congress (ICC). Chishti was also talking about the toxicity of the politics and culture being propagated by those in power in Delhi.

AH, the legendary Messi Kolkata visit — truly a masterclass on how to take a multi-million-dollar opportunity and deliver absolutely nothing in return, all thanks to the impeccable management skills of the powers that be!

Let us all stand and applaud the sheer, unparalleled brilliance of the esteemed state government and their associated organising bodies. They didn't just host an event; they orchestrated a perfectly efficient display of VIP greed and administrative incompetence that will forever be etched in the annals of sporting farce.