Trees jostle for space in wholesale market
| Date :30-Apr-2019 |
By Sagar Mohod:
Amidst the bustling market where space is premium, every other person is on the lookout for a green shade so that for a moment or two one can relax and then carry out the day’s chores. Especially when scorching sun heats up the atmosphere in summer, the one thing that everyone remembers is trees. But in the ever busy wholesale market area of Gandhibagh and Itwari, one does find time is short with people to take care of the precious green cover. So when the summer scalds starts hitting every season talk in market hover around to climate change and failure of policy makers to cool down the atmosphere without, however, admitting to their own acts of omission and commission in bringing about this sorry state upon themselves.
This being the old city area, the number of tall and green trees is quite less and that too, however are struggling to get noticed. This is so as citizens have turned a blind eye towards their preservation and it’s inevitable as to what will happen in the future. Whatever tree cover left in the market it is increasingly under threat and falling prey to senseless development activity. And sadly no one is bothered about the way civic body in the name of development has systematically tried to choke the trees. Footpaths Choking Trees Footpaths that no one uses have been built haphazardly with little care for the tree roots as if their existence is taken for granted.
As there is no continuos tree cover, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) officials could have easily rounded of the portion around trees during construction of footpath. Many of the trees have deep roots and they have managed to stand tall inspite of efforts to choke them. But increasingly waste material, heaps of stones and other things from which water percolation is not possible are being thrown at bases of trees in the market area. As such there one finds dearth among people to increase tree cover in the market area to ensure visitors are at ease, so atleast preserving existing green corridor is must. This atleast ensures that increasing emissions due to large convergence of vehicles in markets gets absorbed without affecting the fragile environment. Right now finding open space in the wholesale market area is akin to searching needle in the haystack.
Same could be story of trees in future if in present situation we fail to preserve whatever was handed to us by our ancestors. A tour of the Gandhibagh and adjoining Itwari market areas showcases as to how concrete is liberally used to form round about around big trees that are dotting the prominent places. Public money was utilised to construct these chabutras and almost at all places small temples have been built. While there is no dearth of devout persons in the business district, a little attention to health and well being of trees is, however, on no one’s mind or forms a priority for them. Another thing that one noticed that old trees are mostly that of Peepal indicating the thought that went behind its plantation. The trees grow up quite fast and its spread is quite big that provides cooling comfort for passers-by. But somehow public funds were utilised to erect concrete barriers that arrested their future spread. Though the roots of these trees have managed to withstand this assault is another thing, but couldn’t the engineers of NMC atleast give a thought about their preservation, felt Amar Nagpal, a social activist. Nagpal who has grown up in the old city area feels sadly for the degrading environment and said it for the people to wrest the initiative from civic body.
“Unless we as individual ensure that every tree is personal property, no one can save the degradation that is happening very fast.”
Shahid Square One can see with open eyes as to what is happening to trees in the market area. The focal point, Shahid Square, is enshrined in history of city, a big Peepal tree has been completely taken over by mindless construction frenzy. Apart from putting a concrete layer of road just adjoining the tree trunk, a temple of Vidarbha Chandika stands tall just next to it. Also at the tree trunk, a small temple has been built and full scale business activity also goes on unchecked near it.
Gandhibagh
Same is the case with every other big tree in the market area that is used by hawkers. Beneath one of the trees on Jagnaath Budhwari road, a road side tree vendor is jostling for space with a small temple.
The tree branch seems to have been mercilessly chopped off that could otherwise form a good canopy around the open space near it.
Tehsil police station
One thing was in common around big trees in Itwari, temples have been constructed without giving thought to leaving trunk open to absorb the water. The tree at compound of Tehsil police station gives the same impression and though one can still find solace underneath its shade but the full fledged development of tiled temple does not augur well for it. The open space could where temple has been built could have been utilised for parking of vehicles leaving the road free for vehicular movement. Gandhibagh Garden
Another striking point is that of a Banyan tree next to Gandhibagh garden whose branches can be seen touching the footpath. But a look at the tree base and one can find lack of sincerity on part of society at large and also authorities in ensuring that trees last long.
The tree base is near to choking point owing to construction of footpath, leaving bare enough space for inflow of water.
Jagnaath Budhwari
This is perhaps one of the oldest residential localities of old city area where only few trees are left alive as modern development process is still far away. Though the Peepal tree adjacent to Shree Adi Chilingeshwar Shiv Temple stands tall, an old stone chabutra is built around it.
Bangali Panja Square
One more spot that raised eye brows is near Bangali Panja Square where a dust bin has been put at the tree base. Here to the tree base is not kept free and its fighting for space with debris dumped carelessly that is blocking water flow.
Central Avenue
However amidst sense of hopelessness, one sight on a lane adjacent to Central Avenue, lush green tree stands erect in the concrete jungle. During the afternoon scorch, few cows were resting underneath the tree shade in midst of two wheelers whose riders found the spot convenient and cool.