An alternative strategy for roadside plantation in India

Global warming is now a much-talked issue everywhere. There are many instances where we compromise with the trees in the name of development. One such example is cutting of trees during the expansion of roads. Among the others, road expansion or widening is an important aspect of development for proper mobility, communications, and transportations. And we can’t ignore development. However, during this process lot of roadside trees are being cut out for many years.

We can see some press reports such as:

1. More than 7 Lakh trees to be cut for upcoming Karnataka Highway projects, published in “The New Indian Express” on 08 July 2018 (Image below).  http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2018/jul/08/karnataka-may-lose-735-lakh-trees-to-upcoming-highway-projects-1840096.html

2.  In past one year, 5000 trees axed in Bijnor for widening roads, reported by “Times of India” Meerut city edition  on 24 March 2018. (Image below)

3.  Over 2,000 tress to cut for road expansion in Delhi, reported by “The Asian Age” 25 March 2018.  (Media reporting image below)

Like these, there are many more reports…
On the other hand, we have seen efforts from government, NGOs and the common public in planting trees on both sides of roads. So it appears that when these trees will be fully grown (say after 10 to 20 years) because of the population growth and development demand there will be again needed of road expansion/widening. And these trees will be cut again. This creates a scenario of no gain. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address this issue for a long term solution at least on a national level.

Problem with the current approach.
As discussed above the traditional roadside plantation doesn’t fulfill the maintaining the greenery as there is a good chance of cutting them again when they are fully grown. But an alternative approach can work… First, let us see an illustration of the current scenario.

So we are loosing 20 trees for every 100 meters of road expansion… This is boomerang because some time ago these roadside trees were planted.

What is the solution or alternative strategy??
The solution can be instead of planting trees in the roadside,

  • Plantation shall be carried out at least 20-30 meters away from the national highways or roads.
  • Plantation can be carried out NOT in line but in groups to recreate mini-forest like scenario. A quick calculation says we can plant at least 80 trees in a stretch of 100mtr road (Refer the illustrated image below)
  • Government highway authorities can purchase such land about say 30 meters away from the road for plantation.
  • The plantation can be handed over to the local public or other interested agencies.
Possible outcomes: 
a. The trees planted by this strategy will not be cut for the future road development program.
b. Proper greenery will be maintained that will help in controlling greenhouse gases, pollution, and global warming.
c. If it is implemented in a larger segment, a pool of mini forests can be created on both sides of the road.
d. Forest deficiency and deforestation can be balanced.
Concluding remark…
Trees are an important resource on planet earth. Like water, without tree, we can’t imagine the life. But in the name of development, we are cutting millions of trees every year. Thus, there is an urgent need for various strategies to restore the number of trees in our country. The discussed alternative strategy may play a significant role to solve the problem.
 If you like this thought, then Like and Share. If not, please leave a comment below. 
Thank you very much for reading!
Cheers! Have a nice time. 
(c) Copyright reserved by Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher 25-08-2019

Would you pay Rs. 25 for Rs.5 ?

What have you thought just after reading the title? You must have asked yourself why some one will pay Rs. 25  when he can pay Rs. 5? Isn’t it a foolish act? Yes! You are right. Absolutely right!! And I am happy to inform you that I am the person and this happened to me. 🙂 Now let me tell you this short story that I have experienced.

It was a chilled morning at Raipur city of Chhattisgarh state, India. I was travelling to MATS University via a public transport ( In an auto-rickshaw). It costs ethical Rs. 5 and takes hardly 3 minutes of travel from the source to the my destination, But when I stepped in to the auto-rickshaw, I noticed a small sticker of  Indian Armed Forces Flag Day inside the auto-rickshaw, near the driver’s mirror.

I was surprised!! But, immediately, I thought, is it the auto-rickshaw driver (generally belongs to financially weaker section of society) have contributed for the Funds for Armed Forces of the country!! My common knowledge confirmed me, Armed Forces Flag Day Sticker is  a proof of individual’s contribution towards the welfare fund.   It made me so happy that within a minute, lots of thoughts and questions raised in my mind.  Such as..

1. A financially not sound individual is contributing towards armed forces of the country!!

2. Why an auto-rickshaw driver is thinking about Armed Forces of India? Because, in general, I have never seen/ listened financially rich people of my country discussing about contributing Armed Forces of the Country. 

3. Was it easy for him to spare some of his hard earned money and think beyond his family?

4. ….

Suddenly, my thoughts and questions came to an end. As, the auto-rickshaw driver said “Bhaiya, aap ka stop aagaya (Brother, your stop has arrived)”. I checked my wallet and found Rs. 25 in my hand. Then indicating towards the sticker of Indian Armed Forces Flag Day pasted on his auto, I said to him you have done a great job and handed over Rs. 25 to him. I said “Keep all these amount”. Before, I started walking away from the auto-rickshaw & towards my working place, I noticed a smile on the face of the Auto-rickshaw driver.

I was more than happy.. ! 🙂 Only regret was that I couldn’t take a photo/selfie with him, as I was getting late for the work. But, Never mind,  I thought.. “How it will be, if  everyone think, give respect and contribute towards our Armed forces and for our Country!!” I remained optimistic..

And, I concluded..

“Sometime, happiness is not what you get but it is what you give!”

Oh Yes! Thanks for read my foolish story and bearing me! 😀

Wish you good time!

© Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher, 2018



How we tolerate hot summer in India and what we need to do?

Thanks for dropping in here! Before proceeding, let’s go through few quick interesting questions. Have you ever told any of your friends/ relatives/ colleagues (living in a hill stations or comparatively good climatic conditions) that you are from a region of India where temperature during summer days mostly stays above 40oC and sometimes it crosses 50oC? If your answer is YES! The immediate counter question you might have faced after your statement is “Hey! How do you live there?” With a proud feeling, you may have answered “Dude, we are used to tolerate hot weather. It is common for people living there”. But later on, have you ever wondered? How we tolerate & why it is common for us? I believe, many us have faced this scene in our life. In case, if you haven’t faced this interesting moment till now in your life. It is more interesting that you are willing to know the secret of this scene. OK! Let me share with you, my silly observation on this issue.
In general, summer in India lasts for four months; they are March, April, May & June. The pre-effect of summer usually starts in the month of March itself. Most of us pass this month by saying each other following type of sentences “Yaar, abhi bas March ka mahina he aur garmi toh dekh? (See, this is just the month of March and days are so hot)”; “Lagta he, Pichle saal ke mukavile ish baar bahat jaada garmi padegi yaar (It seems, this year summer will be hotter than previous year’s summer)”; “Garmi toh dekh, mere yahan toh Fan/Cooler sab chalu ho gaya he bhai (Bro have you seen the heat wave, in our home we have started using Fan/Cooler)”. Somehow, we tolerate and pass the initial months of summer with lots of such conversation. Some of us seriously get engaged to repair our Fan/ Cooler/ ACs and make our self ready for next months. Gradually, when we approach towards month of April and May, the intensity of summer increases and we observe rise in temperature. Most of the time temperature remains above 40-42OC. We tolerate these temperature by following conversation “Bahar, bahat garmi he yaar, Insan toh mar hi jayega (Friend, It’s too hot outside, people will die)”; “Kya garmi he yaar, Aab toh bina cooler ke rahna muskil he (It’s too hot! Now, it is difficult to live without a cooler in home”). In May, when the temperature crosses 47-48OC, we used to say “Aab toh Cooler bhi kaam nahi karta yaar, (Now, Cooler is also not working)”; “Saari Nadian aur Talaben Sukhne lagi he yaar (All rivers, ponds and lakes are becoming dry)”; Itna jada powercut ho raha he, kya karen samajh me nahi aata (Too much power cut and shortage of electricity, what to do?)”. Some time we have seen people taking about some severe accidents occurred due to intense heat, death due to sun strokes etc. This way by talking here and there news, alerting each other and taking personal care most of the people overcome the deadly summer of April and May. However, the effect of hot summer does not get over here and starting of month June becomes more difficult & deadly in terms of rise in temperature in these areas. This is the time when people eagerly wait for the Monsoon to reach and rain in their region. So you must have observed people during hot June period saying like “Bas kuch din aur yaar, monsoon aab aane wala he (Now few more days Bro, Monsoon will come now)”; News me bata raha tha Monsoon ish baar jaldi ayegi, kuch din aur jhel lo garmi ko (It was coming in news that monsoon will reach earlier this year, somehow bear few more days this summer)”; Suna! monsoon has reached Kerla now, do hafte me pure India me baris aajegi (Have you heard! Monsoon has reached Kerla, it will spread throughout the country in two weeks)”
So these are some of the Conversation and Words usually people do to get encouragement to face the deadly heat flow until the monsoon reach the India and Showers the cool rain in throughout the country. Apart from other available physical, technological and societal tools, I observed these words of conversation give people an immense psychological courage and strong time pass option to tolerate the deadly summer life. Many invest money and other possible resources (Like good food, Fan/ Coolers/ ACs …etc) to tolerate the diversified effect of summer. Finally, on reaching of Monsoon, suffering of summer gets end! We easily forget the situations we faced. We, all individual, never utilize the rainy season to plant plenty of trees and take a serious note for its full development. Reason is simple, it seems, we didn’t learn from the difficulties during deadly summer; perhaps, we believe in our tolerance capacity; I don’t know, we may have power to control/ adapt to the environmental change. However, we cannot ignore that, we are facing difficult times during each summer. So, there are two ways, first one is to live with nature and the second one is to live in our own way. I strongly believe you and we as an individual and/or together can decide very well which way to follow. Rest the nature and time will reveal…
Don’t become so much tolerant to hot summer. Act now!
Coming Rainy Season Plant a Tree!
Thanks for reading & tolerating my views!
Now Share with friends and test their tolerance capacity of reading.
© Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher, 2017

How can we initiate huge level plantation drive throughout the country?


We, human beings have explored our environment and natural resources by one or other means for our daily life, living and comforts. A remarkable progress has been made by our community since the stone era to current twenty first century. We have witnessed fulfillment of maximum desire and comfort of life. In this progress, our mother earth and the environment has always accommodated, supported and tolerated the changes made by us.  However, the continued ignorance to the environment has already shown its adverse effect in many region of the earth and also predicted a cascade of unfavorable conditions for the living organisms for various other parts of the world. These adverse effect and unfavorable conditions are now generally known in various names such as extinctions of wild life, pollution, unusual weather change, global warming etc… . Within the common understanding and general scientific knowledge all of us know that the primary causes is “deforestation” . Furthermore, we all know if these situations continue and stay uncontrolled, it will be harder for human being and many other organisms to sustain life on earth.  Thus, being the supreme animal on the earth, it is our sole responsibility to awake and control the situation before it becomes difficult to regulate.
The practical scenario of the problem:

Looking into the matter, it seems true that maximum people are aware of the deforestation and its cascade of unfavorable situations. However, no one is able to contribute towards the remedial approach of the deforestation. This inability involves a wide range of factors viz. ignorance, hectic life style, lack of encouragement, no immediate economic gain etc…. In our country this has been given under the responsibility of Forest Department and other government agencies. But we should know that forest department and the government agencies is not alone living on the earth and enjoying the benefits of human progress. We all individuals are living within it and it must be the responsibility of each individual to contribute towards the various available remedial approaches. However, it seems difficult for each individual to contribute because many have their individual inability. 
The Idea/ Solution:
Solution:

According to me, in this case the role of “Voluntary youth as a team” looks promising. With the support of government and/or partnership with various other private organizations a special voluntary dedicated “Tree Clubs” can be formed at village, panchayat and city level. These motivated Tree Clubs at their free time like on Sundays or evenings will be joining hands with the forest department for plantation. They will be locating the bare land of government. Government may facilitate the permission for plantation in these lands by the “Tree Clubs members”. After complete plantation these teams will also take care of that specific plantation area for at least 3-4 years before handing over to the Forest department or Government. These voluntary Tree Clubs can work within their proximity. Forest department and other Government officers may help and facilitate the necessary infrastructure and provide guidance to the “Tree Clubs” for plantations. If these “Tree Clubs” made from of a group of local peoples, they may also help in further spreading the awareness among the people within their locality. Though, plantation in the bare land will be the initial objective of the “Tree Clubs”. If successfully worked these clubs may also to work in spreading the awareness on restoring of forests.
Extension of Solution:
This idea can also be implemented at school or college level. Each schools/educational institutescan be advised to form a compulsory “Tree Clubs” which with the help of school administration and government officials will undertake the above work as a passion. I remember, when I was a child of class 5th  at our village school, our school teachers used to assign all individuals a plant to take care of it. We used to water the plant daily & it was taking hardly 15 minutes of a day.  It will be praising, if the educational institutes can encourage this workforce with some kind of certificates to the students.
Possible Outcome/ Conclusion:
It is almost clear plantation and restoring of forest is one of the sure shot solutions to the problem of environmental consequences. However, we are lacking the motivation and finding it difficult to execute at an individual level. Furthermore, we are relaying only on the forest department for sustainability of our own environment. In this case the unity of Youth will certainly help. We may be able to create a young, motivated, enthusiastic workforce for sustainability of our own environment.  People says “Youth can bring change in the society”, I believe we together can make it happen.
This idea is a crude one; it may be refined before implementing. I will be really happy if Government or some expert  inputs in improving this.
Idea in a nutshell
1.   Government can direct educational institutes to take up a “Student Driven Tree Plantation Program in Government lands”.
2.   Government can also direct Panchayats and municipal corporations to constitute these tree clubs.
“How can we dream of a better earth without better environment to live?”
Let’s take the responsibility to plant trees and Spread the message. 

Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to give your comment below.

P.S.: This suggestion is already received  from me by Prime Minister’s Office, Government of India
Ref.: PMOPG/D/2017/0197100 Dated 02/05/2017

What we have to learn??

I was travelling in an express train from Mumbai to Shalimar (Kolkata), India. The train did not had a pantry car facility. That means if you are travelling for long route, either you have to carry your eating items  or else you need to purchase eatbles from platforms, or local vendors (who sells different food items) in side the train coach. I was not aware about the pantry car facility and boarded on the train without carrying own eatbles. I was alone and the journey was going fine..

It was evening time and I required some snacks to eat. A vendor (Young Healthy Man, aged about 30yrs) was selling snacks like cakes, biscuits, chips, namkin, etc…,. I thought to get some  chips to eat. When asked the same to the seller. He asked me a price higher than the printed Maximum Retail Price (MRP.). when I argued.. He denied to sell the item with MRP, as it was a helpless situation for me. I compromised and bought it.

Later few hour, I experienced couple of example that is completely its counterpart. I was forced to think about it.  I saw a  handicapped person instead of begging, he was selling packed chikki (a type of dry Indian sweet made from peanut), it was from a known brand as well. However, when I asked for the price he took less price than the MRP. I was surprised !! When I asked him “Why you are selling the product less than MRP?? Are you getting enough profit for maintaining your living cost??” He said “No Sir! I am getting the profit that I should get and deserve. Anyway, I dont want to cheat the public. “. I was surprised.!! A handicapped man who can not do much for his living has got this high moral and character. And simultaneously living the life with this.  However, the another healthy man, who was selling snacks and can do much more, is cheating people and taking advantage of the situations (of not having a pantry car in the train). I feel happy to met this handicapped man of high moral. I purchased two chikki from him.

Again, within few hours, I encountered simillar situation, another man who was partially blind was selling “Aam Papad” (Indian Sweet usually made from drying the Mango Juice). He was selling the product below MRP. When enquired about this selling with discounted price. He clarified “Sir I am getting enough profit with this discounted price and I don’t need much. The buyer should also get benefit na! ” . I was again amazed  and compared the experience which I had gathered from that earlier healthy man. Though I was not in a need, But I bought one packet from him.

After witnessing this cascade of incidents..
I thought for a long, smiled and talked with myself..  “This is the life.. some of the stronger people are rulling and dominating by one or another means. However, some of the people from comparatively weaker section are living in high morality and enjoying their life…”

I remain inconclusive…