Breach Candy residents tie rakhi to trees to protest against Coastal Rd

Breach Candy set congregates at garden to save the green; tie rakhis to symbolise protection

It was business unusual for Breach Candy residents as many of them sacrificed a late, lazy Sunday morning to congregate at Breach Candy's Tata Garden to protest against the Coastal Road. The road will take away a considerable slice of the garden, with more than 140 trees (there are at least 300 trees within the garden) being axed to necessitate the construction of the parallel transport facility. "Yet," said Dr Nilesh Baxi of the Breach Candy Welfare Group, under whose aegis this protest was being held, "we are not obstructionists as accused. We are simply looking for a balance between development and environment."

White fight

There was significant police presence as roughly 100 protesters, shod in white as the dress code advocated, tied coloured cloth to the trees in the garden. The cloth "are rakhis symbolising the relationship between residents and trees, with the former as protectors of them. Many have taken 20 years to grow to this height," said Baxi, ruing the fact that, "the future generation will be unable to savour the shade and succour they provide".

Protesters tie rakhis to the trees

Maneck Davar from Babulnath, whose children, play in this garden daily, said, "One does not need to cut trees. The alignment can be shifted and the green saved. Take into account the sentiments of the protesters and communicate effectively to breach the trust deficit between planners and the people."

As Davar spoke, protesters gathered at a spot to listen to Baxi who said, "the towering palm trees just outside the garden will be cut for the interchange leading on to the Coastal Road. The interchange can be shifted to Scandal Point (which is next to the garden) and this green lung can be saved. The Scandal Point was initially the plot on which the interchange for the Coastal Road would happen, so why was it suddenly shifted to the garden?" Locals rued the authorities' attitude, which is, "you have a problem? Go to the court". The Welfare Group, which says court matters are expensive and time-consuming, has filed a case in the high court, recently.

...and put up banners displaying their sentiments

Court calling

"It is unfortunate that we have to go to court instead of sitting across a discussion table," said a group of silver-haired gentlemen, Kishu and Ranjit Mansukhani, Arjun Khyani, Sundar Mirchandani and Vikram Sajwani who call themselves the 'Tata Garden Boys'. The gents took heart in the Sunday show of, "people power, which is one way to bring about change."

There was D Almeida, 75, from the land of sun-kissed beaches, who lives near the Fatorda Ground (Goa) at the garden. He was dressed as Gandhiji. He said, "I come with goodwill, we are all tourists on this planet." Philosophy mingled with fire as the shadow of Bapu fell long over the garden, and worried walkers filed out underneath its canopy of blushing pink 'n' white bougainvillea of shouting colour.

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