Gujarat - Serious concerns for Small & Medium Towns

Urban renewal is the synonym of slum demolitions in larger cities of the state. They are relocated at far off places at the cost of the governments and expected to resettle at new places under the pretext of making the state 'slum free'. May the metropolitan cities exert enough pressure 'off' from public land but there would be missing people to service new developments.

In the small and medium towns the concerns have been just on getting the infrastructure like road, water supply and drainage, which are costly and tough to implement by the local body alone. Lack of funds and ability to plan for future for the small and medium size town is serious concern for the towns existing in the Gujarat state. The state at present through its publically formed company and mission is addressing the issue of planning and arranging for the funds concerning the small and medium towns. Irrespective of the plans and projects towns would now have developed roads, water supply, drainage etc with the help of central and state government. But the concern is for the management and operational efficiency of the towns. Though GoG has started planning for the urban reforms, but without serious technical support and man power available for the planning, execution and monitoring the developments the local bodies would be failing in future.

The huge gap of technical manpower interms of planners, engineers and management experts in the town above 1 lac population would be stumbling road block for the urban renewal efforts for the state. Its seriousness can be judged from the absence of communication between the authorities and state, lack of peoples involvement in the projects and centralization of decision making.

The power of 74th amendments in the urban local bodies are hardly being employed in Gujarat. May be there is similar condition persists in other states of country. But since Gujarat has always been front runner of the urban management, an serious thought from the state machinery and local management is required.

Climate Change : Alarm Rings at Gujarat State

In one of the first signals of alarming rate of climate change impact is predicted for the Gujarat state, specially areas around Gulf of Kachchh (IPCC, 2001). In one of our analysis it is been estimated that 'coastal districts of the state ...Surat and Valsad district is most vulnerable given the length of coast and population density. In the Saurashtra region, Jamnagar and Junagadh (inclusive of Porbandar) district can be most vulnerable to the sea water changes.

This vulnerability is further going to increase in next 100 year given population rise from present 5.6 million (2006) to 5.9 Million (2011), 6.6 Million (2021), 10.0 Million (2041), 17.8 Million (2061) and 36 Million (2091). In the coastal districts population would be 3.8 Million (2021), 9.6 (2061) and 19.3 Million (2091) persons. Increased urbanization and industrialization along the coasts especially in Valsad, Surat, Bhavnagar, Junagadh and Jamnagar makes them vulnerable to sea water rise. The resultant urbanization and economic activities along the coast would also have negative impact on the coastal ecosystem and surface water channels. More analysis at micro level is required in order to have location specific mitigation plan for the upcoming natural disasters.' (Green Eminent, 2010).

The map (CESIN, 2007) showing population density distribution in district of Gujarat with elevation level less then 10 meters and above presents disturbing scenario of high density of population along Gujarat coast. It reveals the impending danger posed by the state of Gujarat wiping out key economic and port centres of the state. Beyond actual inundation, rising sea levels will also put millions of people at greater risk of flooding. The upcoming environmental disaster has potential to displace a large number of people and result in large scale migration of people to urban areas.
For more..information write to us at gercbrd@gmail.com

Urban Effects : Identity Politics in Mumbai

Increasing pressure on the city dwellers from the political parties to follow their line of thoughts is evident during the last few years. The political parties like Shiv Sena in Mumbai is trying to play identity politics to its extreme by identifying Mumbai with 'Marathi' cultural ideom rather then its cosmopolitan identity. Mumbaites like any metropolitan city does not need a stamp of approval from 'Thackray' and Cos to live their life in city. City has been at ransom of goons and anti social elements mostly belonging to this political party who claim to save the interest of 'local'. Who is local in Mumbai? Urbanisation has rubbed the identity of Marashtrian folks in a wrong way similarly as it would have done in Kolkatta, Delhi, Chennai or any metropolitan city.

People identity in INDIA of being Indian first, and rest second is being challenged by the Shiv Saniks in Mumbai and threatning celebraties from Film Industry, Politics or Manufacturing sectors allows them to gain control of Mumbai's social-political life. People at large are not supportive of identity politics but its the interest groups who are going to gain from this conflict in the society.
Today the massive urban character of Mumbai is at risk and might lead to exhodus of people in the wake of uncontrolled provocation by Sena elements in the social life of city. What is to be gained by the 'Sena' would be serious loss of Mumbai as a city. It time for the society to reject and assert the identities which they would like to live in cities like Mumbai and do not fall in pray of shifting the side from being Indian to unbeing of 'Maharashtra'!

January Training Report

Green Eminent concluded an interactive workshop on the Advanced GIS and Remote Sensing techniques 16th-22 Jan 2010. Opening remarks by Dr. Rolee Kanchan (HOD, Dept of Geog, MSU Vadodara) was helpful getting a starting point for the workshop. Her suggestions for discussions were followed in the workshop. We had 16 participants including four faculty, staff and participants from the state. We discussed issues concerning application of geomatics in water management. Specially using the open source softwares like Map Window. An exploration of Map Window for the watershed delineation and drainage extraction was enjoyed and learned by the participants. We had discussions from Mr. Ashwani Kumar, Mr. Christian Montfield and Mr. Vimal Vaghani, all working in technology applications since a decade. Exploration of ideas by the faculties were helpful in initiating the discussions and participants helped themselves in querying them to gain to the maximum.

Pics: Mr. Christian Montfield, Mr. Vimal Vaghani, Participants and Dr. Rolee Kanchan

Thanks to all the staff at Green Eminent, invited faculties and participants who made this event successful. We look forward to organising the similar event in coming months.