Bhopal can make it to green list

The Times of India , Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Correspondent : TNN
BHOPAL: Green Cities will be the theme of World Earth Day celebrations that falls on Tuesday. TOI talked to few environmentalists from the city on to know where Bhopal stands in the list of green cities.

Former director general of police (DGP) and member of Bhopal Citizens forum Arun Gurtoo said more than half of world's population lives in urban areas, today. As the urban population grow, effects of climate change worsen. Our cities need to environmental friendly. Bhopal has a potential to become global green, he said.

With smart investments in eco-friendly technologies like solar energy, rain water harvesting, increasing green cover and educating public on importance of green cover, Bhopal can be transformed into a modern green city, Gurtoo said.

High rise buildings, encroachment of lake area and nonstop felling of trees in the name of development will become biggest menace for Bhopal's environment in future. What is required is political and administrative will to stop concrete proliferation, added Gurtoo.

Talking about city's green cover, former bureaucrat M N Buch said, Bhopal has about 30,000 acres of green cover that affects its microclimate; a buffer zone of huge trees can bring down city's temperature by about 5 degree celsius. Construction in the name of developmental activities like BRTS corridor is destroying city's green cover. Sustainable development and holistic management plan for city is need of the hour. A city fails to become healthy in absence of active participation of its citizen; therefore enthusiastic participation of citizens is needed to preserve Bhopal's natural beauty and to bring it among list of global green cities. Sensitivity towards environmental issues and mitigation of effects of climate change is another front that needs attention, added Buch.

Dr Suprava Patnaik, associate professor at IIFM said, theme of this year's earth day justifies pressure of ever increasing urban population; cities need to evolve in terms of green cover, sustainable utilization of resources and use of renewable resources.

Well-designed and managed parks are absolutely necessary for urban areas as they function as lungs for any city. Fortunately Bhopal has many such parks and green cover in some of the most crowded areas. There is definitely scope of more social forestry to make city it more healthy and green, added Patnaik.

Our planners have worked very hard in providing us a green Bhopal and we must preserve it and make it better for future generations said, executive director Paryavaran Parisar, Gulshan Bamra.

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/City/Bhopal/Bhopal-can-make-it-to-green-list/articleshow/34070474.cms
 


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