Dear readers,
I had conducted a survey with a view to understanding the link Punekars maintain with their Landscape. The observations and inputs from that survey have culminated in an article, published in the latest issue of LA Journal! (Issue no 44)
Do visit the website www.lajournal.in for the digital version of the magazine. And thanks to all those who participated in this survey!
How green is my city? A Punekar's perspective
The Landscape of a city and its people are inevitably related. Or so it was, years ago. When cities took birth in the landscape and grew up to respect it. Does the same hold true today? As a citizen of Pune, I have seen the city outgrow its natural surroundings. A sense of nostalgia creeps in when I remember the green Pune of my childhood. The time when we would climb up the hills ( 'tekadis' in Marathi) for our morning walk, and stroll along the river in the evenings or enjoy our picnics in the verdant greenery of the University campus.
The Landscape of Pune has undergone a great change in a span of three decades. The "Pensioner's Paradise" and "City of bicycles" has today become the "Traffic City". Lifestyles have changed and so has the relationship between people and Landscape. Today, Punekars go about their lives with little, or no real connect with the land that they live on.
Situated at the foothills of the Sahyadris, in a topographical bowl of sorts, Pune is home to the confluence (sangam) of two rivers, the Mula and the Mutha and also a number of lakes (like the Katraj lake, that was harnessed as a source of water by the Peshwas in the 18th century.) The city is blessed with many shades of green, and is home to a variety of indigenous species of flora and fauna.
photo credits: Meenal Rohankar
What does the green layer look like, today? The Hills are being encroached, the river is no more than a channel of polluted water and the greens are fast disappearing. What does the future hold for the Landscape of the city? To understand the future, it is important to know how citizens perceive the place and value of Landscape today. For, it is people who finally make a city. It is people who value or disregard natural resources, and people who make critical decisions regarding their place in the urban fabric.
Punekars mourn the loss of greenery over the years. So when exactly did Pune start changing from Green to Grey? The answer may lie in the strengthening of the transport link with Mumbai, resulting in Pune's development as an alternate destination, where you could live your life and enjoy it too! The sudden growth that resulted in the 90's altered not only the boundaries, but also the built and unbuilt character of Pune.
The city, according to most Punekars is 'not so green' today. Interestingly, Architects perceive their city to be greener than their non architect counterparts. Is it because architects, with their focus on the 'built' are sub consciously quite ready to accept a lesser percentage of 'unbuilt'? If that is so, the people who actually give form and character to the city are more likely to allow or promote development that that focuses on buildings and infrastructure, with Urban Landscape relegated to the second place.
Along with 'development' comes the issue of mobility. Pune ,'The Traffic city' has allowed vehicles (instead of natural resources) to dominate the policy making and planning process. Though the landscape still holds a special place in the Punekar's heart, very few perceive Pune as 'The City along the River', a reflection on how we have turned our backs to the Mula- Mutha. A city that started out as a settlement on the banks of the river, no longer feels connected to it! On the other hand, its image as 'The City of Hills' seems to be intact even though it has long outgrown its natural topographical boundaries. The hills that once defined the limits of the city are no longer barriers to growth, but natural oases of peace and tranquility amidst the new development. Pune may have become a 'city of bricks' and a 'wannabe concrete jungle', but there are people who believe that it could be a 'potential green city' and a 'model city of tomorrow'.
The view of hills on the skyline anywhere in Pune may have disappeared, but they (especially Taljai and Vetal tekdi) are still the most striking feature of Pune's landscape and remain popular for the fresh air and scenic views they offer (at times, even a peacock sighting or two) People frequent the hills for their daily exercise, for meeting friends and family, or just to be by themselves, away from the din of the city. This is where they can connect to nature, feel a sense of openness and serenity, interact with people without really talking to them, hear the birds and smell the flowers, or just get some clean fresh air.
photo credits: Manjusha Ukidve and Meenal Rohankar
This strong connect with the Tekadis explains the activism against allowing construction activities on the hill tops and slopes. Most people would like to have only urban forests and nature parks there, that can act as public recreation spaces without disturbing the greenery and peace of the hills.
The river does not seem to figure as a positive space in the Punekar's mind today, but people certainly wish to see it becoming more relevant to the city. The lack of water in the river is a stark reality. A river full of water, fish and life, has turned in to a dirty, polluted channel no more than one third its original size, with un organized development along the edges. The memories of the Panshet flood (1961), that wreaked havoc and caused major shifts in the urban fabric, have dimmed. The river is not a threat today, but a wasted opportunity! The average Punekar may look at it as space to build roads that will bring about better connectivity, but the truth is that it would further reduce the river to a being an environmentally degraded space that divides the city into parts instead of integrating it. In fact, the river is potentially the longest green space that Pune can have, with lots of plantation and public parks coming up along the edge, providing opportunities for recreation and socio cultural activities.
photo credits: Advait Ukidve
The story repeats with the lakes that were a once sources of potable water for the city. They no longer serve that purpose, with the uncontrolled development all around resulting in the degradation of lake environs. But most Punekars still find them relevant to the city and would like to see them become 'protected water bodies' with public parks and recreation activities happening around them. Pashan lake, a nesting place for many species of birds, remains important to the nature lover. Khadakwasla lake and Sinhagad hill fort also remain popular destinations, in spite of being slightly away from the city.
photo credits: Advait Ukidve
Punekars do maintain a physical connect with their Landscape, visiting these places at least once or twice a month. The Pune University campus and the Saras Baug that many people consider to be their favourite green, are frequented by many, as are the other public parks in the city. Settings for family outings and also for cultural and socio - political events, public parks are integral to the Punekar's routine. But they are losing their popularity amongst the younger generation that feels that parks have not upgraded and kept up with the times, besides being ill maintained and uninteresting.
Most neighbourhoods in Pune boast of a neighbourhood park, and are perceived to be 'green', but visiting the place seems to be limited to families with little children. The younger generation does not seem to connect with these spaces at all. Could it be because these parks have nothing interesting to offer to that age group, and hence are not on their mental maps? And if it is so, should we rethink their role and relevance to the urban fabric and make them more accessible through design?
One recalls here the transformation of Saras Baug, originally a lake with a Ganpati temple, reduced to a mosquito infested city dump and rejuvenated as a popular public park. Also noteworthy are the transformed 'Nalla parks' at Osho Ashram and Bhandarkar road. Maybe, now is a good time for undertaking a transformation of all our parks and gardens, so that they become more ecologically and socially relevant. If we could redesign our parks to become more accessible and interesting, they could easily replace malls and multiplexes as a default setting for recreation, especially for the younger generation.
photo credits: Advait Ukidve
Swimming in the lakes, or sauntering along the river banks is now just a 'green' memory. So is cycling down tree lined roads. The apathy that citizens as well as the policy makers have shown towards our natural resources is alarming. Haphazard planning, encroachment, dirt, littering, insensitive use of space and lack of basic facilities are making these spaces less appealing, hence less frequented and abused. So how do we turn things around?
Can the city afford to lose touch with this layer of green? Can the city be so mindless as to squander away the resources that nature has so generously offered it ? The reassuring fact is that all (especially the younger generation) feel that we must protect and preserve these resources for the future. Most Punekars would like contribute to this process not in terms of money, but by participating in activism and awareness drives or maybe just planting trees in individual capacity. This pro- active trend in thinking is very encouraging, especially in the younger generation, the decision makers of tomorrow.
Apart from the architect community, there is a rising number of non architects who desire to be a part of the planning and design process. Is it time then, that the authorities took a 'people participatory' approach and included the people's perspective as an important input for decision making ?
Pune must reconnect with its greens, both mentally and physically. We cannot and must not stop visiting our hills, rivers, lakes and parks because we find the dirt and chaos disgusting. What is out of sight, remains out of mind. Could we change from a 'human centric' to a 'nature centric' model of development? If we could value our Landscape simply for 'being' there, instead of judging its value according to how 'useful' it is, we can bring about a sea change in our attitude towards Landscape and its place in the city fabric.
It is time citizens became pro active and contributed, not just in individual capacity, but as a part of the decision making process. It is also time that we 'stewards of the built environment' came out of our individual shells and played a more meaningful role in ensuring that we conserve and enhance the abundant natural resource that we are blessed with. The future of Pune's landscape would then be in safe hands!
