Spring is fast turning into summer. The colorful blooms we enjoyed in the past 2 months are still tossing their heads and braving the heat. In April trees were in the process of shedding their leaves, new leaves were budding. Their sheen was refreshing to behold. Nature was getting ready to step into a new season.
This coincided with the advent of Navratri and the descent of of the Goddess on the earth. This is called Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, celebrated as New Year (according to the Hindu lunar calendar) all over India with different names such as Ugadi, Vishu, Gudi Padwa, Bihu, Navreh, Cheti Chand, Baisakhi, etc. The spiritual message inherent in these festivals is to let go of the past grievances and grudges, and start a new chapter with enthusiasm and naturalness.
This year it coincided with “mithi Eid”. Beyond the rituals and festivities, Eid-ul-Fitr holds spiritual significance for Muslims. It is a time to reflect on the lessons learnt during Ramzan, such as patience, compassion, and gratitude, and to carry these values forward into the year ahead.
While nature and the Divine reiterate brotherhood of man and Fatherhood of God, humans are determined to plunder it with their insatiable greed.
Let’s take the example of F block in Sector 50. There is a monstrosity of a mall coming up in the empty piece of land right beside the SBI building. This could have been developed as a green patch and some of it to create a designated dog park.
Going further down the road there is the huge edifice of Medanta Hospital coming up! The noise and air pollution is immense. Not to mention the enormous challenge residents shall face with respect to traffic, thoroughfare and parking. Everyone staying on the road opposite to SBI in F block knows what a nightmare parking becomes when there is merely a Parent–Teacher meeting at Manav Rachna and LPS Global schools!
Apart from this, we can see stray cows, bulls and oxen abandoned by senseless insensitive owners after they have outlived their utility! They can be seen on the street next to AEP complex, next to Sector 50 club, etc. The plot next to Sector 50 club is no more than a garbage dump as is the plot next to Jain Mandir, Sector 50, and other empty grounds.
It is a suggestion that these and other identified areas may be cleaned and developed as green patches. Some can be converted to a dog-park, others may be converted as enclosures for stray cattle to graze. This has to be done ASAP before the land mafia grabs these areas for their unending avarice!
I would like to end on a positive note to laud the development of the green patch next to Medanta hospital. It is like an oasis coming up in the recent desertification.
