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Amaravati:Envisioning a Natural City

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Amaravati:Envisioning a Natural City

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]By Rashme Sehgal

World renowned agricultural scientist Prof. MS Swaminathan has given a strong endorsement to natural cities. In a letter written to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on March 16, 2017, he has emphasised the need to develop Amaravati as the first natural city of India.

Natural cities are self-sustaining cities where the emphasis is on providing a balanced quality of life, as against the consumption based paradigm being pushed in the name of smart cities across the globe.

Unfortunately Naidu is fast putting into action plans to build an energy guzzling ‘smart’ capital on the lines of Singapore and other glittering cities by destroying 30,000 acres of the Krishna river floodplain, one of the country’s most fertile food belts.

Swaminathan has endorsed an alternate proposal that will be less destructive of the environment. In his letter to Naidu he writes, “I enclose a publication by Drs Vikram Soni and Romi Khosla on developing Amaravati…. Implementation of this program will also be in consonance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I therefore recommend that the proposal should be carefully examined and its main ecological features incorporated in your plan for Amaravati.”

The proposal drafted by Delhi-based architect Romi Khosla and JNU Emeritus physicist Vikram Soni offers the alternative concept of an indigenous natural city which minimises energy use and allows for a juxtaposition of both urban and rural activities, within an expanded and more meaningful definition of urban space.

Both experts have argued that Naidu’s plan to build the city on the southern flood plains of the River Krishna is environmentally unsustainable and will involve the acquisition of 30,000 acres of prime farm land which presently yields farm incomes of up to Rs 20 lakh per acre per annum.

They have proposed that the two-and-a-half kilometre stretch of the floodplain on either side of the Krishna river must not be destroyed.

Instead they have come up with an alternative ‘Amaravati Natural City’ model whose plans have been submitted to the chief minister’s office. Unlike the energy intensive malls and high-rise chrome plated offices and residential complexes that are in fashion, the Amaravati Natural City model has been designed to help maintain a fine ecological balance.

The Khosla and Soni blueprint adopts a checkerboard approach where built spaces alternate with urban farms, pastures and orchards irrigated by the city’s wastewater. Such a layout will ensure green convection currents that will pull air from the green spaces into the warmer built areas, thereby bringing down the temperature of the city by two to three degrees. It will also provide a naturally pleasing environment with many open spaces for residents to relax in.

In contrast the master plan prepared by Subarna Jurong, the Singapore based company, apes the high rise cities of Singapore and Dubai with their glittering buildings, golf courses, malls and casinos. Subarna Jurong has now pulled out of the project finding the AP laws on land acquisition not in consonance with those spelled out is Singapore but they have presented the state government with a hefty Rs 11 crore for preparing the blueprint.

The KC Sivaramakrishnan Committee, set up in the wake of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014, had pointed out that areas with a high water table such as the Krishna floodplains are not suitable for conventional construction.  Infrastructure projects in such areas take far more time than is being stated by the Andhra government. The committee report cites the example of many cities built post Independence including Chandigarh, Bhubaneshwar, Durgapur, Bokaro and Rourkela where seven to eight years were spent in just putting the basic infrastructure in place and that too at a very high cost. A decade was spent in completing construction of these cities.

Soni, who has spent many years studying river flows and flood plains, provides an additional reason for preserving the Krishna flood plain. He points out that flood plains soak up rainwaters and are valuable sources of underground water. Given the acute water shortages prevailing across south India, such resources are doubly precious. “My calculations show that these floodplains can yield an annual 60-75 million cubic metres of water per annum which can earn the state government a revenue of Rs 950 crore a year,” he said.

Should urbanization be encouraged at the expense of such valuable water and food resources? Local farmers understand the value of their lands and have been protesting against arbitrary acquisition by the state government. There have been agitations against the state government’s acquisition policy. However, the majority is intimidated by the high handedness adopted by the state police in this matter.

Bolisetty Satyanarayana, a politician activist who fought the 2014 Lok Sabha elections from Vishakhapatnam, has come out strongly in support of the farmers, insisting this is one of the most important granaries of India that gives three to four crop yields a year. “These farm lands should not be disturbed under any circumstances,” said Bolisetty.

The Sivaramakrishnan committee had clearly recommended that the food bowl of Andhra Pradesh extending across Vijaywada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri should remain undisturbed .

Retired IAS oficer MG Devasahaya, who was in charge of the Phase 2 construction of Chandigarh, had also led a fact finding team for investigating the 29 villages which fell within the capital region and which the AP state government wants emptied out.

Devasahaya had pointed out that the Andhra Pradesh Captial Region Development Act (APCRDA) 2014 was introduced in the state assembly and passed without public consultation and was therefore violative of the existing Land Acquisition Act.

Another point emphasised was that since the capital construction would involve the destruction of 30,000 acres of the Krishna floodplain, it must get prior Environmental Clearance from the Ministry of Environment & Forests. A clearance from the state level environmental impact assessment authority based in Hyderabad would not do.

Two years ago, Pandalaneni Srimannarayana filed a case to protect the floodplains and fertile agricultural lands. The case has been argued before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which reserved its judgement on this matter in May 2017 after the Naidu government gave an assurance that no construction would take place on the flood plains. But said Bolisetty, “Construction is going on at full speed. The central government has sanctioned Rs 450 crores for construction of roads which are presently being built over the floodplains at a height of five metres.”

The question that comes to mind is, why do all pro-environment efforts today end up in the court of the National Green Tribunal? Surely, our state governments need to move beyond giving lip service to sustainability. Officially, India is committed to the United Nations’ goal of Sustainability as also to fighting climate change and protecting livelihoods. In fact, the UN Indian chapter for the UN Habitat 3 has also come out strongly in favour of natural cities.

And yet, each time the government is presented with an alternative model, it fights shy of adopting a sustainable solution. As a nation we have not learnt from our mistakes, despite the enormous losses suffered with the flooding of the Adyar and Coovam rivers in Chennai, the Mithi river in Mumbai or the spate of rivers that flooded in Uttarakhand. We are willing to destroy one more crucial flood plain in the dream of building an imperial capital.

A fundamental redefinition of our present idea of urbanisation is urgently required in order to move away from destructive mega cities that drain away huge natural resources.

Bolisetty pointed out, `When the NGT did not approve of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s use of 25 acres of land on the Yamuna floodplain in order to hold an international event, how can APCRDA presume they will allow them to destroy 10,000 acres of land located on the Krishna floodplain?’

Let’s hope his words will ring true.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Jammu and Kashmir: 10 killed as taxi rolls into gorge at Ramban, PM Modi announces ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh

Ramban deputy magistrate said that it was pitch dark and raining heavily when the accident occurred near Battery Chashma around 1.15am.

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In an unfortunate incident, ten passengers were killed when a taxi veered off the road amid heavy rain and fell into a gorge in Ramban district on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway early on Friday.

Baseer-ul-haq, Ramban deputy magistrate said that it was pitch dark and raining heavily when the accident occurred near Battery Chashma around 1.15am. He added that while the vehicle, believed to be a Chevrolet Tavera, has not been traced yet, 10 bodies have been recovered from the steep slope from where it went down 500 metres.

Police along with quick reaction teams, the local tehsildar, assistant commissioner, revenue, and other officials were at the spot supervising rescue work. Reports said that two identity cards were recovered from two bodies. 

The bodies were identified as taxi driver Balwan Singh, 47, of Amb Gharota in Jammu district, and Vipin Mukhiya, of Bhairagang in West Champaran district of Bihar. The identified bodies were taken to Ramban district hospital. Police asserted the taxi was on its way to Kashmir from Jammu.

Expressing grief over the accident in Ramban, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF, which would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Furthermore, the injured would be given Rs 50,000.  PM Narendra Modi also extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for a quick recovery of the injured. 

Taking to social media platform X, President Droupadi Murmu said that the news of many people getting killed after a vehicle fell into a ditch in Ramban area on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is very sad. She also offered condolences to the bereaved families.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir police shared on social media platform that a passenger taxi rolled down a deep gorge on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway near Battery Chashma in Ramban area. It added that Police, SDRF and civil QRT Ramban reached on spot, rescue operation is going on.

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Hardeep Singh Puri says Sunita Kejriwal is preparing to hold Delhi CM post like Rabri Devi

The Union Minister was speaking to the media during the inauguration of Delhi BJP’s election office along with leaders including Delhi BJP Chief Virendra Sachdeva and Bansuri Swaraj.

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Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday compared Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, hinting that she may be gearing up to take on her husband’s post. The Union Minister was speaking to the media during the inauguration of Delhi BJP’s election office.

The BJP leader further took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister for forming an alliance with the most corrupt party against whom they had started an anti-corruption movement with social activist Anna Hazare. The minister made the statement in response to a question regarding Sunita Kejriwal, who earlier today launched a whatsapp campaign advocating for support for her husband, who is in ED custody in connection with the Excise policy case.

In a video Sunita Kejriwal said her husband has challenged the most corrupt and dictatorial forces in the country and asked people to support her husband through their prayers and blessings. She issued 2 WhatsApp numbers 8297324624 and 9700297002 through which people can send their blessings, prayers or any other messages to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and she will communicate those to him.

She said yesterday Kejriwal had presented his side in the court, and the entire country heard it. She requested the people to listen to it if they had not listened till now. She added whatever Kejriwal had said in front of the court required a lot of courage. She said her husband is a true patriot. She requested the people to participate in the Kejriwal ko Aashirwad campaign.

BJP leader Manoj Tiwari also took a dig at Aam Aami Party asking why only Kejriwal’s wife is coming out in his support, and not the people of Delhi. He said the Honorable Justice of High Court said they cannot stop Arvind Kejriwals’ arrest that they are surprised why he hasn’t been arrested yet?

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Lok Sabha elections: INDIA bloc in Bihar seals seat-sharing deal, Congress get 9 seats, RJD 26

Purnea and Katihar, currently held by the Janata Dal (United), had emerged as the sticking point in seat-sharing talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

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The Opposition INDIA bloc sealed the seat-sharing deal in Bihar for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The Mahagathbandhan’s largest constituent, RJD will field its candidates from 26 seats, including Purnea and Hajipur, while the Congress will contest on nine seats, including Kishanganj and Patna Sahib. Meanwhile, the Left will fight on five seats.

Purnea and Katihar, currently held by the Janata Dal (United), had emerged as the sticking point in seat-sharing talks between the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress for the 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

Reportedly, the Congress has been made to give up the Purnea Lok Sabha seat, which recent entrant Pappu Yadav, husband of Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan, was hoping to contest, mentioning that he had received assurance of Congress ticket from Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi.

The seat will be contested by RJD, which recently gave the party ticket to JD(U) turncoat Bima Bharti, but stopped short of announcing it formally. The INDIA bloc seat-sharing announcement comes a day after the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Lok Sabha polls was over. The RJD has fielded its candidates in all four seats going to elections in the first phase.

Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav attended an INDIA bloc meeting regarding Bihar’s seat-sharing formula at Congress leader Mukul Wasnik’s residence and said that the RJD, the Congress and the Left will fight the Lok Sabha elections together in Bihar. He added that the INDIA bloc partners have agreed verbally on the seat-sharing arrangement and all the constituents are getting a respectable deal. Tejashwi Yadav’s remarks came amid reports of disquiet in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance in Bihar over seat sharing.

In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the National Democratic Alliance, including the BJP, JD(U) and LJP won 39 seats. The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections is scheduled for April 19.

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