“They’ve started dumping cement there. It results in smaller, less meaty oysters that take longer to form”
Ratna and Alka, Koli fisherwomen in Mumbai
Everyday Locavores
“Being the eldest daughter in my family, I learnt to cook early on”
—Awule Lasuh, who cooks office lunches for 30+ employees
“There is no first aid, or protective gear to stave off such injuries. There are no toilets, no shade”
—Jamuna Khatuwa, a coastal fishworker
“Every homestay has a cook now. Tourists rarely come to eat here”
—Sushila Panwar, who runs Aunty Ka Dhaba, a roadside eatery and convenience store
“I hadn’t even driven a car when I began with the tractor”
—Ratish, who pushes and moors fishing boats
“Two years ago, I did not know my rights”
—Kavita Devi, 35, a domestic worker and active member of Delhi Gharelu Kaamgar Union
“We feel sad when they’re taken; we’ve raised them from birth. If they have kids, you’re constantly reminded of the loss”
—Jagdamba Dhuliya, who runs a goat farm in Jagatpur village
“Everything is so expensive now. Even tomatoes cost ₹100/kg. It’s not easy, but we manage”
—Janabi and Samir, a couple running a gaddo in Goa
“I love this job, and work hard for this money—why should I hide it?”
—Chandrakant Pant, who sells hilly edibles from his mini-truck