The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. Many are still reeling from the second wave, while others are bracing for a third. Here is the latest COVID-19 news from India’s hinterlands.
COVID-19 IMPACT
Boom in Kashmir’s bloom business
Stuck at home in the pandemic, many Kashmiris became avid gardeners and are now turning their passion into a business by transforming their backyard patches into plant nurseries.
Uninhibited menstruation talk on “Hello Saathi” helpline
Want to have an uninhibited talk about menstruation? Try the “Hello Saathi” helpline, a game-changing scheme from the menstrual health group Uninhibited helping 150,000 people in less than two years, as two of its practitioners report.
Rural theatre acts out vaccine hesitancy
Setting the stage to bust myths around vaccine hesitancy, tribal dance and theatre productions manage to convert the unvaccinated in Rajasthan, proving the power of tailor-made messaging.
Kashmir’s cricket bat industry goes for a toss
Kashmir’s political and pandemic lockdowns, never mind inadequate infrastructure, are dealing a severe blow to its 100-crore cricket bat industry, which experts say could otherwise be booming.
Teenagers ensure children learn during lockdowns
As India commemorates National Youth Day on January 12, we highlight the passionate work of the many socially aware rural teens who volunteer their time and energy to teach village children during the pandemic.
Tourism-dependent islanders struggle to stay afloat
Villagers in Elephanta Island were filled with hope when tourism resumed after the COVID-19 lockdowns. But with fear of a third wave and few tourists showing up, they begin the new year with apprehensions.
Big money in small mustards
Around 3,000 farmers and migrant returnees in Majuli – Assam’s flood-ravaged and eroding river island – reap rewards from growing climate resilient mustard.
1 billion doses down
In nine months one billion doses of the COVID-19 vaccines are taken – a feat that would not be possible without the development community mobilising local influencers to help get the job done.
Kashmiri girls pedal out of taboos
Kashmiri women who cycled were once ridiculed. But the pandemic-induced lockdown spurred them to cycle their way to better health and fitness, breaking patriarchal shackles along the way.