When ‘The Hitavada’ started the campaign to save trees that were getting choked in the process of development, it was sure that the heart of Nagpurians will bleed for the green cover. It did. The result is for all to see -- the administration of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has started de-choking the trees, individuals and some social organisations have started initiative to save trees. Though ‘The Hitavada’ has a reason to feel happy about it, it is not contented. There are a variety of reasons for not being contented. The first and foremost is the past experience. Whenever the sane people mounted pressure on the administration, it did respond, but for a short while. Then, something else comes up and the administration relegates the first cause to the second position in the priority list and then gradually forgets it.

 

 

 

 

‘The Hitavada’ does not want this to happen this time. Another reason is that the drive should not be restricted to saner people de-choking the trees. In fact, the saner people should also motivate other people to prevent choking of trees. Further, as suggested by ‘The Hitavada’ with the help of some experts, new techniques should be implemented in case of projects that involve uprooting or chopping of trees. For instance, with the current growth spurt of Nagpur, several big institutions and projects are coming up very fast in and around the city. A concerted effort needs to be made by the Government in the form of a policy decision, which may be applied to all major urban centres elsewhere, to make it mandatory that trees should be transplanted instead of felling them. The cost of transplantation should be included in the project cost itself.

 

The example of Maharashtra National Law University, Nagpur, is worth emulating. With World Environment Day celebrations only a month away, instead of focussing merely on number of saplings planted, the Government and the administration should come forward and arrange visits of social organisations, experts, and mediapersons to sites where plantation was done in big numbers in the previous years. If the Government and the administration do not do it, the social organisations must step up pressure on them for such a social audit of plantation. Sometimes, when one talks of green cover, focus remains only on big trees.

 

The contribution of green patches in urban areas -- of green cover in the campuses of major institutions, parks and gardens remains out of focus. This time, it should not happen. Nowadays, many green campuses and parks and gardens in the city are becoming ‘project sites’ and more and more construction is coming up in place of greenery. The society must keep an eye on such developments and raise their voice against systematic destruction of lungs of the city. There may be many more reasons for ‘The Hitavada’ to be not contented, even though it is happy with the response to its campaign. For, ‘The Hitavada’ believes in setting long-term vision for the city of Nagpur. For, the people’s paper believes in becoming the voice of the people.

 

For, it believes in continuing with the agenda of larger public interest. For, ‘The Hitavada’ wants Nagpur to be recognised as ‘the’ greenest (not the second greenest) city of India.

 

Appeal to the people

For past few days, ‘The Hitavada’ has been receiving several letters and telephone calls from the readers appreciating the campaign it is running. Some people also conveyed that they also contributed to the cause by way of de-choking the trees in respective areas. Some experts offered suggestions about how to protect the green cover of the city. Now, ‘The Hitavada’ appeals to the people to write to us.

 

You may offer a well-conceived suggestion, a novel idea implemented, a simple response, and an example of good work as far as protecting green cover of the city is concerned. Your response may not be restricted to only choking/de-choking of trees, but to the larger cause of protecting the green cover of the city. The response should be in 100 words. ‘The Hitavada’ will be happy publishing it with your name. So, what are you waiting for? Start sending your responses to cityline.hitavada@gmail. com with the tagline ‘The Hitavada Campaign’.The idea is to maintain the pressure on the authorities concerned, so that they continue with the initiative in the interest of green cover of the city.

 

Appeal to the administration

‘The Hitavada’ first takes this opportunity to congratulate the civic administration for initiating measures to de-choke trees. At the same time, we appeal to the administration to continue with the initiative and not to allow the enthusiasm to wane. But, the issue in question is not restricted to only de-choking of trees. In the first place, care should be taken to ensure that trees are not choked -- either by project implementation agencies, contractors, or even the people. It may be achieved by putting in place an effective mechanism. For such an effective mechanism to be put in place, Tree Census has to be conducted annually without fail. But, the report of Tree Census should not be merely a copy of the previous such report with a few changes here and there.

 

The agency engaged in conducting Tree Census and preparing a report thereof, should be asked to keep a record of the co-ordinates of trees they count. Such a database should also be placed in public domain, with details such as photograph of the tree concerned, age, location, and variety of the tree etc. It will help in conducting social audit of the findings and also empower the community in keeping a watch on so-called development. Also, Nagpur Municipal Corporation should play a proactive role and submit a proposal to the State Government on having a policy to strike a balance between green cover and development. It is very easy to fell a grown tree for a project, stating that two more saplings are being planted elsewhere.

 

But, often, it is forgotten that a plant takes years to grow big and the society has to wait for a long time to reap the benefits that it was accruing from the felled big tree. Hence, there should be a policy that makes it mandatory to have such designs of projects that do not require felling of big trees. Also, techniques like tree transplantation should be made mandatory in case of projects where design cannot be changed. But, such transplantation should not be done closer to the original site. Further, the authorities of various agencies that have the responsibility to maintain green cover and execute projects, must place in public domain periodic reports highlighting changes in green cover -- if any -- and also statistical details. For instance, NMC should make available data on its website regarding tree cover in each zone.

 

Forest Department should make available site-wise data and photographs with regular updates of sites where plantation was carried out previously. The administration also has to take up a massive drive to make people aware of the ill-effects of choking of trees, destruction of green cover, poor maintenance of parks and gardens, and not acting in time to increase green cover. Of course, this is an appeal. It is for the administration to choose to act. ‘The Hitavada’ has a sincere hope that the administration will respond positively to it. For, any initiative based on positivity definitely yields positive results, doesn’t it?