Create gardens, but save the mangroves, too

Aaditya Thackeray. File pic

The suburbs are playing catch up with south Mumbai when it comes to the liveability index. An uplifting report in this paper stated that tenders have been invited for four gardens in the suburbs.

Each of these gardens will be based on a theme, like a traffic garden, science garden, multi-sports park and barefoot/meditation garden. The report was based on a top BMC official stating that this has been done as part of Guardian Minister of the Suburbs Aaditya Thackeray's vision. There was some thought about uplifting the suburbs through urban interventions like these. It was also based on the philosophy that SoBo has some good, developed infra, so it is time to bring the suburbs at par.

All this is sound thinking but it is important that we see follow-ups and these gardens should come up within a designated timeline. Once these are made, we have to ensure that they are maintained, both by the authorities and the public, too, for who they are created.

Meanwhile, it is disappointing that we see dichotomies like these. While there is an earnest effort being made to increase green cover, and this is now directly linked to liveability index, we see activists hauled off by authorities when they dare to ask questions about cutting of trees. We have credible reports about mangrove devastation. Green warriors continue to fight uphill, enervating battles, going head-to-head with authorities in the steady denudation of green cover. Any open patch of land is swiftly and aggressively taken over. Old trees are dying because of extreme concretisation.

It seems ironical that go green programmes are on an uptick while such ‘crimes' are not taken heed of and continue with impunity. We want to see new green spaces but saving the old ones are as important. So is looking at the environment through a holistic prism.