This interesting note came to me from a new newsletter subscriber who details here what he's doing about saving trees in his city of Bangalore. I've encouraged him to continue this message board thread and join others. /patty
"Hi Patty, Thanks for your l'il welcome note. I just thought I would give some more details about my background and share my upcoming projects with you. As I told you earlier, I'm involved with an environmental group that is concerned about the survival of trees in Bangalore city. This group is called 'Hasiru Usiru.' The two rhyming words individually mean 'green' and 'breath' respectively but together it signifies that our breathing is but from trees. Just last Sunday, on the 2nd, our group performed a street play which portrayed what repercussions we would be facing in the city if we went about felling trees in the name of 'development.' Bangalore (I am sure you'll know), is a fast 'developing' city which is hot in the news-both national and international. The Information Technology boom that happened about six years ago has only resulted in the city tearing apart at its seams. What with the government embracing a new project every second day, trees are fast vanishing from the city's landscape. Ironically, this very city used to enjoy sobriquets such as the 'garden city' or the 'air-conditioned city' before they came to be replaced by rather ugly-sounding terms like the 'IT capital' or the 'Silicon valley of India'. The latest is the government approving a Rupees 1500 million metro rail project. This means that about 900 heritage trees will have to be axed down. So, our group decided to use theatre as a medium to sensitise people about the impending dangers in store for this otherwise wonderful city.
Now although we would be fighting against tremendous odds, our group (which actually is made up of just a few like-minded people) is keen to carry on the battle to the very end. Last year, it won a decisive victory when the local High Court passed a statement which makes it mandatory for the city development authorities to consult 'Hasiru Usiru' each time any project involves felling of trees. Although this is much subject to bureaucratic pressures and red tapism in a corruption-ridden country like India, it gives us atleast a larger area of operation.
And it is precisely here that I sense the need to further increase our range of activities. And to initiate tree climbing as a sport activity would be a great idea. Here, I am confident of using my own personal skills in the activity to good effect.
Actually, you would be surprised to know that there has always existed a deep bond between trees and people in India. It is amazing to see how a tree can be a religious symbol, a place for people to meet, a place to carry one's trade and much more. I soon intend to work on a project to document and highight this connection between people and trees. Well, there is so much that I can share with you. There even exists a game which involves clambering up trees that is played by children even today in villages! and why, even a festival of trees called 'Vanamahotsava' !
And yes, our group is looking at July to carry this festival 'Vanamahotsava' to schools and colleges in the city. It is a huge project that we would be working on.
I would be most happy to share things with you or anyone who might be interested.
Regards,
Rahul Putty"
