Delhi has struggled with many civic issues for years like waterlogging, overflowing drains, delayed public services, pollution, and the feeling of frustration that complaints often disappear without much action.

Over the past few months,I have noticed a change. There has been a greater focus on accountability. Whether it is action after complaints, improving public service delivery, or making officials more responsible for timelines, the approach seems to be more focused on making systems work better.

The biggest difference I personally noticed was during this monsoon.

Like many Delhiites, I have seen the same cycle every year, promises before the rains and problems once the rain actually arrives. So, I was not expecting a huge change. But this time, some areas that usually faced heavy waterlogging seemed to handle the rains better. The drain cleaning work and monitoring of vulnerable points appear to have helped. Even Minto Bridge, which has long been infamous for waterlogging during the monsoon, surprisingly made news for not flooding even after heavy rainfall.

Another thing that stood out was the effort to stay connected with people on the ground. Whether it was visiting civic projects, meeting residents, listening to grievances, joining the Maa Yamuna Riverbank Cleanliness Drive across 28 ghats, reviewing preparations for festivals like Chhath, or being part of public events, there has been more visible interactions helping foster a sense of trust.

Witnessing decade-long issues finally being addressed with sincerity and persistence rekindles hope among every Delhiite. The hope of seeing the city flourish and its full potential being realised as the capital it has always had the capacity to become.

At the end of the day, governance is not just about promises. It is about whether people feel heard in their daily experiences, cleaner surroundings and better services when people raise concerns.

The alleged ₹600–650 crore health procurement scam didn’t begin in 2026.

The investigation did.

Most of the procurement now under scrutiny dates back to the previous AAP government’s tenure from Mohalla Clinics to hospital construction and procurement decisions made during and after the COVID period.

Here’s how the story unfolded:

2023: Allegations surfaced around Mohalla Clinics - fake patients, fake attendance and unnecessary lab tests.

Jan 2024: The LG recommended a CBI probe after an inquiry reportedly found evidence of fake tests and non-existent beneficiaries.

2024–25: Questions expanded to hospital construction, ICU projects and public health infrastructure. The CAG also flagged concerns about Delhi’s health system.

Then investigators looked even deeper.

Procurement decisions made during 2021–22, including purchases of medicines and medical equipment under the previous administration, also came under scrutiny.

June 2026: The current Delhi Government widened the probe into an alleged ₹600–650 crore procurement scam. The ACB registered cases, arrests followed, the ED joined the investigation, and officials and procurement records came under examination.

The courts, not social media will determine criminal liability.

But the larger point remains:

Public healthcare cannot become a marketplace.

Every rupee meant for medicines, hospitals and patients deserves transparency. If investigations uncover wrongdoing, accountability should follow regardless of who was in power when the decisions were made.

For years, our response to Delhi’s toxic air has been entirely reactive. We wait for winter to hit, panic, slap on temporary band-aids like the odd-even scheme, ban firecrackers, argue about stubble burning, and then forget about it until the next year.

With the recent change in government, there’s a new initiative on the ground called Namo Oxygen Parks. Beyond the political branding, the project's framework addresses the structural flaws that killed previous green drives.

A few things that actually stand out:

Survival over Statistics: Instead of just planting saplings for a photo-op and letting them die by next summer, they’re using geo-tagging and tracking to ensure a 100% survival rate.

Native Species vs. Quick Growth: They are prioritising native trees—Peepal, Banyan, Jamun, and Mango. These are actually suited to Delhi's harsh climate and support local biodiversity, unlike the fragile ornamental plants we usually see.

Community Ownership: They are forming local caretaking committees. Environmental projects always fail when the bureaucracy walks away; involving residents gives the trees a fighting chance.

The "Compensatory Afforestation" Debate

Predictably, the cynicism has already started, with some calling it nothing more than mandatory compensatory afforestation. But here's the kicker: the current plan involves planting 8 times more trees than what the court actually ordered. Even if there's an overlap with legal requirements, dismissing it entirely feels counterproductive when the sheer scale and execution are completely different.

No single project is going to clear Delhi’s skies overnight. But after a decade of breathing toxic air and watching governments trade blame, seeing a shift from "seasonal damage control" to "long-term ecological infrastructure" feels like a step in the right direction.

For years, our response to Delhi’s toxic air has been entirely reactive. We wait for winter to hit, panic, slap on temporary band-aids like the odd-even scheme, ban firecrackers, argue about stubble burning, and then forget about it until the next year.

With the recent change in government, there’s a new initiative on the ground called Namo Oxygen Parks. Honestly, looking past the political branding, the actual framework of this project seems to tackle the exact structural flaws that killed previous green drives.

A few things that actually stand out:

Survival over Statistics: Instead of just planting saplings for a photo-op and letting them die by next summer, they’re using geo-tagging and tracking to ensure a 100% survival rate.

Native Species vs. Quick Growth: They are prioritizing native trees—Peepal, Banyan, Jamun, and Mango. These are actually suited to Delhi's harsh climate and support local biodiversity, unlike the fragile ornamental plants we usually see.

Community Ownership: They are forming local caretaking committees. Environmental projects always fail when the bureaucracy walks away; involving residents gives the trees a fighting chance.

The "Compensatory Afforestation" Debate

Predictably, the cynicism has already started, with some calling it nothing more than mandatory compensatory afforestation. But here's the kicker: the current plan involves planting 8 times more trees than what the court actually ordered. Even if there's an overlap with legal requirements, dismissing it entirely feels counterproductive when the sheer scale and execution are completely different.

No single project is going to clear Delhi’s skies overnight. But after a decade of breathing toxic air and watching governments trade blame, seeing a shift from "seasonal damage control" to "long-term ecological infrastructure" feels like a step in the right direction.

If you’ve been online recently, you’ve seen the viral clips. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta is being mocked for suggesting that water "evaporates on the way" during the current heatwave. The internet has collectively branded this a political "gaffe."

But if we pause the outrage and look at the actual data, a critical question emerges: Is evaporation an excuse, or is it a scientifically documented reality of managing water in 45°C+ temperatures?

1. The Hypocrisy Trap

Political memory is short. When Atishi, as CM, previously spoke about summer water shortages, she routinely cited heat-induced losses and transmission challenges. Back then, it was accepted as "explaining a crisis." Today, when the opposition says it, it’s labeled a blunder.

A physical phenomenon doesn’t change its properties based on who holds the microphone.

2. What Science Says

The online mockery assumes water only disappears due to theft or leakage. While those are massive issues, the scientific reality of transporting water through open canals in extreme heat is stark.

According to the study Urban Water Security Assessment Using an Integrated Metabolism Approach, the numbers are highly significant:

• The 30% Drain: The study notes that approximately 30% of water carried through open canals is lost to evaporation and related infiltration.
• Massive Annual Scale: Delhi loses roughly 545 Million Cubic Metres (MCM) of water annually to evaporation alone.
• The Yamuna Loss: The Yamuna River itself loses about 55 MCM annually to evaporation and infiltration within the territory.
• Summer Extremes: Delhi’s evaporation rates peak in May at 8.6 mm/day. In July, out of 177 mm of rainfall, 111 mm is immediately lost back to the atmosphere.

3. Aggravation, Not the Sole Cause

Context matters. No serious person argues evaporation is the only reason for dry taps. It is an aggravator. When a city already has a severe supply-demand gap, losing nearly a third of your raw water transit to the sky turns a tough situation into an absolute crisis

The Bottom Line

By turning a hydrological certainty into a meme, we distract ourselves from the real issue: Delhi’s water infrastructure is fundamentally unsuited for climate change.

Instead of mocking physics for upvotes, we should be asking why Delhi still relies on open-air canals instead of closed pipelines or floating solar covers. Mocking evaporation won't hydrate the city; demanding better engineering will.

Sources & Further Reading:

• Urban Water Security Assessment (Delhi Case Study)
• Losses in Water Conveyance (Irrigation Engineering Principles)

If you’ve been online recently, you’ve seen the viral clips. Delhi CM Rekha Gupta is being mocked for suggesting that water "evaporates on the way" during the current heatwave. The internet has collectively branded this a political "gaffe."

But if we pause the outrage and look at the actual data, a critical question emerges: Is evaporation an excuse, or is it a scientifically documented reality of managing water in 45°C+ temperatures?

1. The Hypocrisy Trap

Political memory is short. When Atishi, as CM, previously spoke about summer water shortages, she routinely cited heat-induced losses and transmission challenges. Back then, it was accepted as "explaining a crisis." Today, when the opposition says it, it’s labeled a blunder.

A physical phenomenon doesn’t change its properties based on who holds the microphone.

2. What Science Says

The online mockery assumes water only disappears due to theft or leakage. While those are massive issues, the scientific reality of transporting water through open canals in extreme heat is stark.

According to the study Urban Water Security Assessment Using an Integrated Metabolism Approach, the numbers are highly significant:

• The 30% Drain: The study notes that approximately 30% of water carried through open canals is lost to evaporation and related infiltration.
• Massive Annual Scale: Delhi loses roughly 545 Million Cubic Metres (MCM) of water annually to evaporation alone.
• The Yamuna Loss: The Yamuna River itself loses about 55 MCM annually to evaporation and infiltration within the territory.
• Summer Extremes: Delhi’s evaporation rates peak in May at 8.6 mm/day. In July, out of 177 mm of rainfall, 111 mm is immediately lost back to the atmosphere.

3. Aggravation, Not the Sole Cause

Context matters. No serious person argues evaporation is the only reason for dry taps. It is an aggravator. When a city already has a severe supply-demand gap, losing nearly a third of your raw water transit to the sky turns a tough situation into an absolute crisis

The Bottom Line

By turning a hydrological certainty into a meme, we distract ourselves from the real issue: Delhi’s water infrastructure is fundamentally unsuited for climate change.

Instead of mocking physics for upvotes, we should be asking why Delhi still relies on open-air canals instead of closed pipelines or floating solar covers. Mocking evaporation won't hydrate the city; demanding better engineering will.

Sources & Further Reading:

• Urban Water Security Assessment (Delhi Case Study)
• Losses in Water Conveyance (Irrigation Engineering Principles)

For years, menstrual hygiene has largely been discussed as an awareness issue. But on the ground, many of the barriers girls face are much more practical: empty sanitary pad dispensers, lack of privacy, poor sanitation, and limited access to reliable support systems.

What caught my attention about Delhi Government's new Menstrual Health Matters initiative is that it appears to treat menstrual health as an infrastructure and service-delivery issue rather than just an awareness campaign.

Here are some of the key measures being rolled out and why they matter:

1. Tackling the "empty vending machine" problem

Many schools have sanitary pad vending machines that were installed years ago but are rarely stocked consistently.

What's changing?The government plans to introduce monitoring systems for pad availability in schools, public washrooms, and Arogya Mandirs, alongside the distribution of biodegradable sanitary pads.

Why it matters:Access only works when supplies are consistently available. Infrastructure without maintenance doesn't solve much.

2. Making washrooms usable

The initiative includes directions to address basic sanitation issues and repair broken washroom infrastructure, including doors.

Why it matters:A functioning washroom is easy to take for granted, but privacy and sanitation directly affect whether girls feel comfortable attending school during their periods.

3. Building support systems inside schools

Schools will establish dedicated Menstruation Corners stocked with emergency sanitary products and hygiene essentials.

Why it matters:For many students, having immediate access to support can make the difference between staying in class and missing part of the school day.

4. Linking menstrual health with preventive healthcare

The initiative also includes a stronger focus on HPV awareness and vaccination tracking through schools and community health networks.

Why it matters:Menstrual health and reproductive health are often discussed separately, but school systems can play an important role in preventive healthcare and awareness.

5. Including boys in the conversation

Students in Classes 6–9, including boys, will receive age-appropriate menstrual health education.

Why it matters:Reducing stigma isn't only about educating girls. It also requires normalizing the conversation across the entire student community.

Final thought

The most interesting part of this policy isn't any single intervention. It's the shift in approach.

Instead of treating menstrual health solely as an awareness challenge, the policy treats it as something that requires functioning infrastructure, consistent service delivery, and institutional accountability.

Whether the implementation lives up to the intent remains to be seen. But it's an interesting attempt to move the conversation beyond awareness campaigns and toward measurable outcomes.

For years, menstrual hygiene has largely been discussed as an awareness issue. But on the ground, many of the barriers girls face are much more practical: empty sanitary pad dispensers, lack of privacy, poor sanitation, and limited access to reliable support systems.

What caught my attention about Delhi Government's new Menstrual Health Matters initiative is that it appears to treat menstrual health as an infrastructure and service-delivery issue rather than just an awareness campaign.

Here are some of the key measures being rolled out and why they matter:

1. Tackling the "empty vending machine" problem

Many schools have sanitary pad vending machines that were installed years ago but are rarely stocked consistently.

What's changing?The government plans to introduce monitoring systems for pad availability in schools, public washrooms, and Arogya Mandirs, alongside the distribution of biodegradable sanitary pads.

Why it matters:Access only works when supplies are consistently available. Infrastructure without maintenance doesn't solve much.

2. Making washrooms usable

The initiative includes directions to address basic sanitation issues and repair broken washroom infrastructure, including doors.

Why it matters:A functioning washroom is easy to take for granted, but privacy and sanitation directly affect whether girls feel comfortable attending school during their periods.

3. Building support systems inside schools

Schools will establish dedicated Menstruation Corners stocked with emergency sanitary products and hygiene essentials.

Why it matters:For many students, having immediate access to support can make the difference between staying in class and missing part of the school day.

4. Linking menstrual health with preventive healthcare

The initiative also includes a stronger focus on HPV awareness and vaccination tracking through schools and community health networks.

Why it matters:Menstrual health and reproductive health are often discussed separately, but school systems can play an important role in preventive healthcare and awareness.

5. Including boys in the conversation

Students in Classes 6–9, including boys, will receive age-appropriate menstrual health education.

Why it matters:Reducing stigma isn't only about educating girls. It also requires normalizing the conversation across the entire student community.

Final thought

The most interesting part of this policy isn't any single intervention. It's the shift in approach.

Instead of treating menstrual health solely as an awareness challenge, the policy treats it as something that requires functioning infrastructure, consistent service delivery, and institutional accountability.

Whether the implementation lives up to the intent remains to be seen. But it's an interesting attempt to move the conversation beyond awareness campaigns and toward measurable outcomes.

For years, menstrual hygiene has largely been discussed as an awareness issue. But on the ground, many of the barriers girls face are much more practical: empty sanitary pad dispensers, lack of privacy, poor sanitation, and limited access to reliable support systems.

What caught my attention about Delhi Government's new Menstrual Health Matters initiative is that it appears to treat menstrual health as an infrastructure and service-delivery issue rather than just an awareness campaign.

Here are some of the key measures being rolled out and why they matter:

1. Tackling the "empty vending machine" problem

Many schools have sanitary pad vending machines that were installed years ago but are rarely stocked consistently.

What's changing?The government plans to introduce monitoring systems for pad availability in schools, public washrooms, and Arogya Mandirs, alongside the distribution of biodegradable sanitary pads.

Why it matters:Access only works when supplies are consistently available. Infrastructure without maintenance doesn't solve much.

2. Making washrooms usable

The initiative includes directions to address basic sanitation issues and repair broken washroom infrastructure, including doors.

Why it matters:A functioning washroom is easy to take for granted, but privacy and sanitation directly affect whether girls feel comfortable attending school during their periods.

3. Building support systems inside schools

Schools will establish dedicated Menstruation Corners stocked with emergency sanitary products and hygiene essentials.

Why it matters:For many students, having immediate access to support can make the difference between staying in class and missing part of the school day.

4. Linking menstrual health with preventive healthcare

The initiative also includes a stronger focus on HPV awareness and vaccination tracking through schools and community health networks.

Why it matters:Menstrual health and reproductive health are often discussed separately, but school systems can play an important role in preventive healthcare and awareness.

5. Including boys in the conversation

Students in Classes 6–9, including boys, will receive age-appropriate menstrual health education.

Why it matters:Reducing stigma isn't only about educating girls. It also requires normalizing the conversation across the entire student community.

Final thought

The most interesting part of this policy isn't any single intervention. It's the shift in approach.

Instead of treating menstrual health solely as an awareness challenge, the policy treats it as something that requires functioning infrastructure, consistent service delivery, and institutional accountability.

Whether the implementation lives up to the intent remains to be seen. But it's an interesting attempt to move the conversation beyond awareness campaigns and toward measurable outcomes.

For years, menstrual hygiene has largely been discussed as an awareness issue. But on the ground, many of the barriers girls face are much more practical: empty sanitary pad dispensers, lack of privacy, poor sanitation, and limited access to reliable support systems.

What caught my attention about Delhi Government's new Menstrual Health Matters initiative is that it appears to treat menstrual health as an infrastructure and service-delivery issue rather than just an awareness campaign.

Here are some of the key measures being rolled out and why they matter:

1. Tackling the "empty vending machine" problem

Many schools have sanitary pad vending machines that were installed years ago but are rarely stocked consistently.

What's changing?The government plans to introduce monitoring systems for pad availability in schools, public washrooms, and Arogya Mandirs, alongside the distribution of biodegradable sanitary pads.

Why it matters:Access only works when supplies are consistently available. Infrastructure without maintenance doesn't solve much.

2. Making washrooms usable

The initiative includes directions to address basic sanitation issues and repair broken washroom infrastructure, including doors.

Why it matters:A functioning washroom is easy to take for granted, but privacy and sanitation directly affect whether girls feel comfortable attending school during their periods.

3. Building support systems inside schools

Schools will establish dedicated Menstruation Corners stocked with emergency sanitary products and hygiene essentials.

Why it matters:For many students, having immediate access to support can make the difference between staying in class and missing part of the school day.

4. Linking menstrual health with preventive healthcare

The initiative also includes a stronger focus on HPV awareness and vaccination tracking through schools and community health networks.

Why it matters:Menstrual health and reproductive health are often discussed separately, but school systems can play an important role in preventive healthcare and awareness.

5. Including boys in the conversation

Students in Classes 6–9, including boys, will receive age-appropriate menstrual health education.

Why it matters:Reducing stigma isn't only about educating girls. It also requires normalizing the conversation across the entire student community.

Final thought

The most interesting part of this policy isn't any single intervention. It's the shift in approach.

Instead of treating menstrual health solely as an awareness challenge, the policy treats it as something that requires functioning infrastructure, consistent service delivery, and institutional accountability.

Whether the implementation lives up to the intent remains to be seen. But it's an interesting attempt to move the conversation beyond awareness campaigns and toward measurable outcomes.