Today Is World Nature Conservation Day; the day acknowledges that the foundation for a healthy society is a healthy environment. This Awareness Day is intended to increase awareness about the importance of protecting our natural resources.
Hear in this image the central island no more exists; the left side is concrete jungles and right side you see lots of greenery but the difference between left and right is on left concrete is so powerful that trees lost to economics of market value. While the right side still holds concrete blocks in its neighbourhood over seven decades hiding under the green roofs are part of Bhubaneswar Master Plan of 1948 that takes care of Nature.
On this World Nature Conservation Day; let me wake you up that these green roofs are In their last phase of breathing; If goes by media reports. Yes this neighbourhood will soon see Concrete blocks like their neighbours on the opposite to home Districts Guest Houses and other Institutional and commercial ventures. Perhaps a phase that will witness bulldozing the Idea of Bhubaneswar as the Capital of Odisha planned post Independence.
Just a reminder Chandigarh that came after Bhubaneswar without much heritage tag to it’s body; today stands as India’s first World Heritage City by protecting, preserving and conserving the work of Le Corbusier. While Bhubaneswar despite having historic core and Otto Königsberger work in its neighbourhood plan couldn’t earn Would Heritage City status speaks It’s own volume.
Independent India’s first planned capital city Bhubaneswar is God’s gifted; that it came into existence inside the chandaka forest drained by ten natural streams having medicinal values, a river named Gangabati around which located numerous heritage sites for Shaivism, Buddhisim, Jainsim etc. perhaps global emergence of biodiversity.
However, over years that Biodiversity is ruptured by Concrete Jungles. Today Bhubaneswar founds itself in the global emergence of biodiversity loss, climate change and different types of pollution, and a loss of spring and rise of temperatures. In last Bhubaneswar too recorded itself amongst world’s hottest city in temperature that once use to model for many as the city was planned around Geography and Climatology. The challenge today is what we can do – individually and collectively – to try to achieve sustainability.
Bhubaneswar is a great remember that our love story of urbanisation can only add romance to our life, if we add more sustainable products to our cities and export zero by-product that would harm health of nature. Yes we may love to visit hilly areas to see the majestic mountains, the lush greenery and to breathe in the fresh air and I can’t imagine a city where i won’t have these places to go to but Bhubaneswar use to be in my childhoods.
Let this World Nature Conservation Day wake up Bhubaneswar instead of bulldozing it’s neighbourhood protect, preserve and conserve it for future generations; along with try for world heritage city status to showcase Otto Königsberger Neighbourhood based urban planning.
