Sailen Mukherjee (India, 20/06/07)

Often we have been coming across news reports about the efforts made at national and global level for protection of environment. Somehow I feel little skeptical as to how much environment programme will be effective in our country. In fact a very few people are genuinely concerned about it.

To start with let us have a look at our locality. I have come to South Avenue, Trilanga (Babaria Kalan), Bhopal, MP in the year 2000. At morning and evening, I along with my wife used to go for a round stretching 5/6 Kms crossing a number of big trees like Sal, Teak, Mango, Black berries and Neem. In between one could find a small garden of guava trees and cultivated lands. These trees might have grown up over the years to have a cooling effect in the entire surroundings as well as to provide shelters to the passer byes. There was a canal for distribution of water from nearby water reservoir to the local cultivated lands.

In the month of October, we used to see water flowing through the canals to supply water to the adjoining lands to grow kharif crops. The area was quite serene and peaceful. We used to enjoy chirping of varieties of birds from those trees like Sparrows, Parrots, Bulbul and Cuckoos.

Seven years onwards the scenery is entirely different. We can’t enjoy the same serenity while passing through this area .A number of flats, duplex bungalows have been constructed cutting down all the trees and using the cultivated land.

Smell of natural environment has been missing. The canal has dried up, as water is no longer needed for cultivation.

The question arises whether building construction should be stopped. The answer is we definitely need the shelter and construction of building but not at the cost of ruining the environment and ecology. The town planning division should be very alert while sanctioning the building plan. Utmost importance should be given to protect the natural plantation and greenery to balance the ecology.

This year, summer was extreme during the last two months. Temperatures have been soaring very high compared to those in previous years. Cutting big trees, bushes and destroying cultivated lands for building construction are definitely the cause. Why don’t we keep a vigil for the unscrupulous builders who have got no feelings for natural beauty of greeneries?

Due to their ruthless activities, the local people have been affected .A lot of electricity is being used for running the desert coolers consuming large amounts of water for a long period to keep our rooms cool. The entire greenery is being destroyed.

Ultimately, this is our own as well as a national loss only because of a few greedy builders and faulty town planning.

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