Phase one of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh gets underway. But in Jagapatti village of Mirzapur, the inhabitants say they won’t vote in protest against effluents from the carpet industry in neighbouring Bhadohi district’s seeping into their fertile fields and destroying their crops.

Phase one of the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh gets underway. But in Jagapatti village of Mirzapur, the inhabitants say they won’t vote in protest against effluents from the carpet industry in neighbouring Bhadohi district’s seeping into their fertile fields and destroying their crops.

Kali river, which flows through 80 villages in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut districts of election-bound Uttar Pradesh, has been exposing nearly 250,000 people in these villages to a host of diseases including skin problems and even cancer. Factories dump untreated effluents into the river with impunity and an under-capacity sewage treatment plant is woefully inadequate to deal with the pollution load. Politicians time and again promise to clean up the river, everytime an election comes around. A ground report from The Gaon Postcard series.

Kali river, which flows through 80 villages in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut districts of election-bound Uttar Pradesh, has been exposing nearly 250,000 people in these villages to a host of diseases including skin problems and even cancer. Factories dump untreated effluents into the river with impunity and an under-capacity sewage treatment plant is woefully inadequate to deal with the pollution load. Politicians time and again promise to clean up the river, everytime an election comes around. A ground report from The Gaon Postcard series.

Poll-bound Uttar Pradesh has a road network of over 300,000 km. But that means nothing to over 40,000 predominantly tribal residents of 13 villages in Matwar gram panchayat of Mirzapur who do not have a motorable road. The lack of roads adversely impacts the villagers as they struggle to access education, health facilities, markets and employment avenues. Now, they have threatened to boycott the upcoming assembly elections unless their gram panchayat gets a tar road.

Poll-bound Uttar Pradesh has a road network of over 300,000 km. But that means nothing to over 40,000 predominantly tribal residents of 13 villages in Matwar gram panchayat of Mirzapur who do not have a motorable road. The lack of roads adversely impacts the villagers as they struggle to access education, health facilities, markets and employment avenues. Now, they have threatened to boycott the upcoming assembly elections unless their gram panchayat gets a tar road.

Aggrieved by repeated changes and constant delays in paddy procurement and payment, protesting farmers in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh submitted a list of seven demands to the District Magistrate. At least 23 farmers await their payment of over Rs 42 lakh. Many are unable to sell their paddy at the procurement centres.

Aggrieved by repeated changes and constant delays in paddy procurement and payment, protesting farmers in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh submitted a list of seven demands to the District Magistrate. At least 23 farmers await their payment of over Rs 42 lakh. Many are unable to sell their paddy at the procurement centres.

The deaths of three children in Rampur Dhabhi village of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh has perplexed the villagers. These kids reported similar symptoms of high fever, seizures and frothing from the mouth. There is no final word on these deaths but health officials suspect neurocysticercosis. What is this disease and how does it spread? Details here.

The deaths of three children in Rampur Dhabhi village of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh has perplexed the villagers. These kids reported similar symptoms of high fever, seizures and frothing from the mouth. There is no final word on these deaths but health officials suspect neurocysticercosis. What is this disease and how does it spread? Details here.

With no tap water and electricity supply at her house, athlete KM Chanda’s childhood struggles can be imagined by witnessing the plight of her family members who barely manage a living. Dust from nearby stone quarries pervades the village but the athlete’s proud parents have somehow managed to keep her trophies shining. Details here.

With no tap water and electricity supply at her house, athlete KM Chanda’s childhood struggles can be imagined by witnessing the plight of her family members who barely manage a living. Dust from nearby stone quarries pervades the village but the athlete’s proud parents have somehow managed to keep her trophies shining. Details here.

Six months ago, Sagir Ahmed from Saharanpur lost his wife to COVID19. He had taken a huge loan for her treatment and went to Pulwama in J&K to earn money and pay off the debt. However, the 58-year-old was gunned down on October 16 while he was on his way back from work.

Six months ago, Sagir Ahmed from Saharanpur lost his wife to COVID19. He had taken a huge loan for her treatment and went to Pulwama in J&K to earn money and pay off the debt. However, the 58-year-old was gunned down on October 16 while he was on his way back from work.

The first case of ‘fever’ was reported from Nagla Aman in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh on August 18. Five weeks later, Gaon Connection visited the village and its neighbouring areas to find out how they were faring. Almost every household had a someone who was ill and debts were piling up as families were borrowing large sums of money to treat their sick children.

The first case of ‘fever’ was reported from Nagla Aman in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh on August 18. Five weeks later, Gaon Connection visited the village and its neighbouring areas to find out how they were faring. Almost every household had a someone who was ill and debts were piling up as families were borrowing large sums of money to treat their sick children.

As thousands of farmers streamed into Lakhimpur Kheri today for the antim ardas of the farmers who were killed on October 3, hundreds more staged a dharna at district collectorate in Mirzapur, holding up banners with the images of the slain farmers, and shouting slogans, demanding justice for the dead.

As thousands of farmers streamed into Lakhimpur Kheri today for the antim ardas of the farmers who were killed on October 3, hundreds more staged a dharna at district collectorate in Mirzapur, holding up banners with the images of the slain farmers, and shouting slogans, demanding justice for the dead.

There seems to be no end in sight for the nightmare in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh, where since mid-August there have been at least 62 reported deaths due to fever, including dengue.

There seems to be no end in sight for the nightmare in Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh, where since mid-August there have been at least 62 reported deaths due to fever, including dengue.