The other day at the Late MN Buch Memorial Lecture when the
guest speaker Pradip Krishan, the environmentalist, was taking questions from
the audience subsequent to his very interesting talk a member of the audience
fired a question at the Chief Secretary who presided over the function. The
question was about chopping down of trees under the directions of the Speaker
of the Legislative Assembly. The Chief Secretary was asked whether the plan to
build plush quarters for MLAs had been given up. The CS said he had been informed
by the Speaker that the plan had been shelved and, he said, one should take
that as final. Apparently, the plan has not been given up, it has only been
shelved and may get revived at an opportune moment.
Either the speaker, Dr. Sita Saran Sharma, is dim-witted or
he has not been quite truthful. After having slaughtered a thousand trees he
said that he had given orders to stop the process of chopping down 9000 more
trees in view of the strong resentment of the people. The trees were reportedly
surreptitiously cut down and when it was flashed in the print media people in
the government sat up. Chief Minister is reported to have spoken to the
speaker. In all probability the latter got a mouthful and was asked to stop the
whole thing. The speaker had no alternative but to stop further felling of
trees and, as a face-saver, said he had taken the action in view of the "jan bhavana", public sentiments. As
if he did not know about the "jan
bhavana" which was so strongly expressed only two weeks ago that the
chief minister had to shift the location of the proposed “smart city” approved
by the Centre from the tree covered Shivajinaar and Tulsinagar areas.
This is not the first time that the proposal to build
residences for the honourable members was shot down. Earlier a similar plan to
cut down a large number of trees near the existing well-spread out colony of
the members had to be given up because of public resistance. This time the plan
was changed and an area behind the Assembly building on Arera Hills was chosen.
However, this time everything seems to have been done by stealth so much so
that even the watchful media didn't get wind of it. Even though the detailed
project report was not ready what they did was to have thousand-odd trees cut
down. This is what happens every time. Whether the project is ready or not
trees are the ones which face the axe immediately.
June 5 was Environment Day and as usual the chief minister
mouthed his hypocritical commitments for conservation of the environment. His
government is perhaps the worst in so far as environmental conservation is
concerned. All the time there is an assault on environment. If this happens even
in Bhopal where people, media and NGOs are so watchful, one shudders to imagine
the conditions elsewhere in the state from where resistance, if any, will come
off a whole lot muted. Reports keep appearing in the press of illegal felling
of trees at various places in the state.
Here in Bhopal trees are felled at any and every pretext so
much so that green cover that was once 92% has come down to 22% in a matter of
a few decades and soon it may touch a measly 11% in a year or two.
Encroachments and constructions on the periphery and catchment area of the Bhoj
Wetland, the lifeline of the city, continue unhindered. The report submitted by
the Centre of Environmental Planning and Technology of Ahmedabad for
conservation of the Lake was submitted two years ago. No decision has been
taken on it as it does not suit the government and the builders’ lobby. The
report is stated to be under examination by the government. If they take years
to study a report without coming to any conclusion, they might as well give up on
appointing consultants. The Citizens’ Forum and others had to approach the
National Green Tribunal in order to force the government to release the report.
Greatest damage has been done to the Lake during the tenure of this government.
If the government continues in the same vein in so far as the Upper Lake is
concerned we might as well say good bye to it. Concerted efforts are being made
to make use of the land in the catchments of the Lake where no constructions
are allowed but encroachments reportedly are all the time taking place.
And the fire at
Khanti, the city's landfill, continues to rage impairing the health and
well-being of those who live and work aound it. The city' air is becoming as
foul as that of Delhi but no steps have been taken for mitigation of air
pollution. I have on numerous occasions seen the vans for checking vehicular
emissions waiting forlornly for custom. There is no compulsion on vehicle
owners to have their emissions checked. Besides, while recently bought vehicle
are generally checked auto rickshaws and trucks or delivery vans that emit most
of the smoke are never seen around these vans. All these seem to be minor
matters for the government for which conducting of Simhastha Mela and, later,
elections to the Rajya Sabha were of greater importance. There is such a lack
of governance.
It has now come down to one rather
uncomfortable fact and that it depends on the people to make the government to
move and act. By itself it seems to be unable to take any decision acceptable
to the people. I remember that few years ago when some of us members of the
Citizens’ Forum met the Chief Minister he had told us that as long as he was
there he would not allow anything adverse happening to the Lake. But now it is his
own government seems to be hell-bent on destroying it.
Clearly collectively people, the media and
other social groups will have to be very very watchful for proper conservation
of the city’s environment.
*Photo from the internet
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