Within the backdrop of the demolition of part of the world-famous Rock Backyard, the harm of a bit of the wall in Part 3 and slicing down of tons of of timber for a road-widening challenge to facilitate the growth of the parking on the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom, two public petitions have been launched Monday by the residents of Chandigarh to demand quick cessation of all demolition actions in and across the Rock Backyard and its forested environment.
One petition on Change.org has been began by Priyanka Saini, the granddaughter of Nek Chand, who shares the imaginative and prescient of Nek Chand, the historical past of Rock Backyard, its making and the way in 1989 hundreds of residents fashioned a human chain, efficiently halting demolition efforts of the Rock Backyard. The petition requires the residents of Chandigarh to defend what’s rightfully theirs. It urges the Administration to stop all demolition actions in and across the Rock Backyard and its forested environment. Among the many different calls for are a complete restoration plan, funding allotted to reinforce and develop the Rock Backyard, its recognition as a protected nationwide heritage website, to forestall future encroachments and environmental preservation measures. The petition urges residents to demand motion from the Chandigarh Administration, Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom, and the Authorities of India to collectively protect the creative and environmental legacy of Nek Chand.
“With a heavy coronary heart, I attempt to make sense of what’s occurring to the Rock Backyard in Chandigarh. The artwork my grandfather, Nek Chand, gifted to the world is past outstanding — not simply in its magnificence however in its imaginative and prescient. At a time when sustainability wasn’t even a dialog, he constructed a whole world out of discarded waste, proving that artwork, creativity, and preservation can go hand in hand.
And now, when India is striving towards sustainability, self-reliance, and environmental consciousness, how can we permit this destruction to happen? As a substitute of tearing down his legacy, we must be increasing it. Our nation has barren land, mounting waste, and an pressing want for significant tasks. Why not gather what isn’t biodegradable and create one thing even better — one thing that aligns with my grandfather’s dream? I need to be half of a bigger motion to protect and develop this imaginative and prescient throughout India. This isn’t nearly a wall —it’s about what we stand for as a nation. I hope this dialog sparks motion earlier than it’s too late,” says Priyanka, who works within the subject of AI in Silicon Valley, CA, USA.
The quick intent, she provides, is to cease the demolition and additional development round Rock Backyard for city growth, for the Rock Backyard is a nationwide treasure. “We name upon each Indian to take a stand —cease this destruction, search judicial intervention, and demand that the Excessive Courtroom recognises the Rock Backyard as a protected cultural and environmental landmark. As a substitute of tearing it down, we must be increasing this imaginative and prescient to different cities, turning waste into artwork throughout India.”
Anuj Saini, son of Nek Chand, says that he’s distressed and helpless about all the state of affairs and the way it has unfolded in the previous few days.
In one other petition of ‘Saving Chandigarh’ by residents, the demand from the authorities is to first halt additional demolition and tree slicing on the Rock Backyard and conduct a clear public session on the proposed challenge. Environmental activist Samita Kaur, who’s a part of this marketing campaign, says that the decision-makers should take into account sustainable alternate options like shuttle buses, and multi-level parking for congestion-related points and supply residents entry to an in depth challenge report and environmental influence evaluation to make sure transparency and accountability. The petition factors out that there isn’t any indication that the Ministry of Setting, Forest and Local weather Change (MoEFCC) has authorised this challenge, and whereas the Excessive Courtroom ordered street growth, it by no means mandated the demolition of the Rock Backyard.
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Noor Dasmesh Singh, architect and urbanist, says regardless of the logic of street widening and creating additional parking for autos, no justification might permit for this transfer. “In 1989, a symbolic ‘Chipko motion’, for resisting the demolition of this very stretch of the Rock Backyard might not have had sufficient influence on the Administration that they once more went forward to grasp this singular concept of destruction of constructed heritage to realize their aim of a wider street and extra parking. Some previous timber are additionally getting axed within the course of which is unpardonable. This act looks like a betrayal as a result of this operation appears to have been carried out clandestinely and there was no try by any means to solicit public opinion or the involvement of the civil society who really feel a way of non-public attachment to the heritage of town,” he provides.
Deepika Gandhi, architect and former director of the Structure Museum, Chandigarh, says that heritage and progress will not be antonyms, and “we have to determine what’s vital to be preserved and work round that to implement no matter is required functionally”. “I’m certain the profile of the street might have been labored out with out damaging the Rock Backyard. The necessity of the hour is to look nearer at our governance, insurance policies, and shortcomings as a substitute of claiming that our heritage is limiting town’s development”.
