INDIA-ENVIRONMENT: SUMMER CAPITAL OF BRITISH RAJ IN RUINS AN INTER PRESS SERVICE FEATURE

By Neena Bhandari Reprint | | Print |

NEENA BHANDARI

SHIMLA, INDIA, Nov 24 1994 (IPS) - ONCE THE SUMMER CAPITAL OF THE BRITISH RAJ, THIS PICTURESQUE HILL RESORT TODAY IS CRUMBLING UNDER THE PRESSURE OF INCREASING POPULATION, MUSHROOMING BUILDINGS AND GROWING POLLUTION.

THE STATELY CONIFER AND DEODAR GROVES AND WILDFLOWERS THAT CREATED A RIOT OF COLOUR ON THE HILLSIDES OF WHAT USED TO BE PROMOTED AS A HEALTH RESORT HAVE GIVEN WAY TO HEAPS OF GARBAGE, POLYTHENE BAGS AND PLASTIC BOTTLES.

WITH A POPULATION CROSSING THE 135,000 MARK SQUEEZED INTO A 12 KM LONG RIDGE AND BURGEONING VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND WINTER HEATING SYSTEMS, THE AIR AT 7,100 FEET IS AS POLLUTED AS IN ANY OTHER CITY.

THE ABSENCE OF A PROPER DRAINAGE AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM HAS ADDED TO THE CITY’S WOES. “INADEQUATE AND INAPPROPRIATE DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE AND CUT SOIL HAS CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE BEAUTY OF THIS HILL RESORT,” SAYS FOREST OFFICER G S GORAYA.

THE FOREST DEPARTMENT OF NORTHERN INDIAN HIMACHAL PRADESH OF WHICH SHIMLA IS THE CAPITAL, HAS LAUNCHED AN AMBITIOUS 3.2 MILLION DOLLAR PROJECT TO RESTORE ITS PRISTINE GLORY.

THE SHIMLA ECO-DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION PROJECT SEEKS TO “EDUCATE THE PEOPLE ABOUT NATURE CONSERVATION AND BEAUTIFICATION OF SHIMLA, TO RESTORE THE NORMAL CLIMATE CYCLE, TO STOP THE SILT FLOW FROM THE CITY AND ITS SUBURBS TO THE VITAL RIVER SYSTEM AND TO PROVIDE A FILLIP TO ECO-TOURISM…,” SAYS CHIEF FOREST CONSERVATOR V P MOHAN.

A HOST OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS (NGOS) HAVE BEEN WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE FOREST DEPARTMENT TO ELICIT THE PARTICIPATION OF THE PEOPLE IN CONSERVING SHIMLA’S ENVIRONMENT.

SAYS ANSHU GUPTA OF THE NGO ‘HIMACHAL GYAN VIGYAN SAMITI’, “OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE REACHING OUT TO THE WOMEN AND STUDENTS TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF ECO-LITERACY. THROUGH STREET PLAYS, SKITS AND DRAMAS PEOPLE ARE BEING MADE AWARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND NATURE CONSERVATION. WE HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTING PLANTS TO WOMEN AND STUDENTS TO BEGIN GREENING THEIR OWN BACKYARDS.”

ANOTHER VOLUNTEER TELLS OF STEPS TAKEN TO HALT THE FELLING OF TREES. “…FOREST GROVES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS CONSERVATION POINTS AND FENCED WITH IMPREGNABLE INTER-LINKED CHAINS,” HE SAYS.

SAYS GORAYA, “WITH THE INCREASE IN THE HUMAN AND CATTLE POPULATION AND THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES, THE PRESSURE ON OXYGEN BREATHING WOODS HAS INCREASED BRUTALLY. WHILE THE FORMER CREATE BIOTIC PRESSURE, THE LATTER EMIT POLLUTING GASSES WHICH HANG IN THE ATMOSPHERE.”