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The third part outlines conclusive Full paper submitted to: TH directions to review the theme in 38 International Planning Congress THE PULSAR EFFECT similar situations around the world. Joy Sen, Assistant Professor, ARP Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India Email: [email protected] The Theoretical review Apart from the physical aspect, there . are essentially two other causal dimensions which have contributed to the development of settlements - State of West one, socio-cultural and two, socio- (marked red) economic. The various factors like the physiographic region; its history, climate and resources possibly shape the socio-cultural component. (Located near the Delta) On the other hand, the socio- KMR economic component has not only been influenced by these factors, but Pattern-evaluation of the also by the information and compatibility of Global Pulses and knowledge base of the settlement Traditional Local Ecology population and the extents of Fresh Options for Planning Mode interactions with other regions 1. The and Processes in Developing settlement patterns have changed Countries with the changes in these two A case study of (Calcutta) factors. The adjustments required or Metropolitan Region, India the adaptability to the changes in the settlement patterns has not always Introduction (or short outline): been smooth. These jerks or pulses have led to temporary chaos or The paper is a pattern-evaluation of disorders, which are smoothened, the metropolitan region of Kolkata to with time and change and innovate fresh options of planning consequently, the order restored. mode and processes balancing new Order does not solely refer to economic pulses and traditional planned and stable settlements, nor ecology. The evaluation will likely does disorder refers to transitional provide a framework to trace pulses and non-planned settlements. In between the poles of global thrusts location-specificity, at times, a kind of for economic modernization and laissez faire can also be reversibly conformities towards traditional called orders 2. ecology in a society with older cultural and spiritual footings. In some settlements, this lag has been more than the others. In THE MAIN PAPER: The paper has been presented in three parts. The first part is a 1 Based on ‘Ekistics’: Doxiadis, C.A. (1969) 2 theoretical review of the theme. The Based on: “ The Third Culture” (chapter 20). Chambers, Robert: Rural development: Putting second part reveals the case study in the Last First (Long man, Scientific & Technical, light of the degree of compatibility. 1983)

1 situations where the lag is more, fundamental values (the pulse- order is more of a result of a balance itself6). between planning and laissez faire, The wisdom also monitors the than straightforward planning. This planning process where a balance newly recognized solidarity is based has to be restored between the on a notion of right livelihood - in highly intuitive ‘Delphi’ approach7 vis- which the aim is to achieve a à-vis the highly systematized, maximum of human well being in mathematical methods of multi- conjunction with an optimum or criteria ‘decision-theory’. balanced socio-economic pattern of material production3. This is a new The case study of the Kolkata level of wisdom4, which needs both Metropolitan region (KMR): degree of: of compatibility? 1) Stability and change (pulses) 2) Order and freedom (pulses) An Overview of the Region 3) Tradition and innovation (pulses) The KMR has grown as a major 4) Planning and laissez faire metropolis in the deltaic zone : ------(pulses)

This wisdom leads to our choice from a three-point scale5 of alternative planning modes. One, it is a system maintaining mode (minimum change approach avoiding any pulse). Two, it is an evolutionary mode (a step-by- step incremental approach). And third, there is the revolutionary mode where the purpose is to transform a social system by redefinition of

3 The new concept of Ecological Economics is in 6 Pg 7: On Ethics and Economics: Sen, Amartya contrast to mainstream Positive Economics (Oxford, India (1998) (based on pure analytical decision-making 7 This is the idea of inviting scenarios, in the theories) (Costanza, Robert and Segura, Olman form of intuitive and ‘heuristic’ statements, and Alier, J.M: Envisioning and Implementation which enable the planning analyst to obtain of a Sustainable Society (published in Getting imaginative insights into pulsar contexts and Down to Earth, Washington DC: Island Press their problems with a vision of the future (1996) and section 1.7: Dorf, Richard C: decision-making and synchronize pure subjective Technology, Humans and Society: Towards a mode and psychological problems of decision- Sustainable World (Academic Press, 2001). making. The idea originated in Greece from the 4 Pg 46 and 55ff: Schumacher, E.F. 1975. Small oracular traditions of Greece at Delphi (The is Beautiful. New York: Harper & Row. Omphalos of Apollo as the hub of intuitive (: Blond and Briggs, 1973) forecasting) (Kahn. H. And Weiner, A.J. The 5 Pg 21: Chapter 1:The Planning Process: Year 2000: a Framework of Speculation on the Bracken, Ian. Urban Planning Methods: next thirty years (New York, Macmillan, 1967) Research and Policy Analysis. (Methuen, and The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols by Jean London and New York, 1981) Chevalier and Alain Gheerbrant (1969)

2 The history of major pulses has been explosion and its impact on reviewed in three time periods, viz. limited resources, A. Pre-colonial Calcutta (prior to · Second, similar in-migration year 1757) due to political disturbances B. Colonial Calcutta (1757 to 1947) (Bangladesh War, 1970) and, C. Post-Colonial Calcutta – · Recently, current revivals to evolution of metropolitan region renew trade linkages to (after 1947) Southeast Asia (particularly).

Pulses of changes in Physical and Socio-economic Patterns of Political Patterns in the three eras Pulses in three eras A. Pre-colonial era: Beginning from A. Pre-colonial era: Ancient tropical ecologically sensitive Vernacular trade linkages9 to Persia mangrove deltaic forest and and during Mughal period interspersed vernacular village when the metropolis was almost non- settlements (mainly comprised of existent in the south (delta). fishermen and cultivators), till 1690, B. Colonial era: Industrialization had no one had imagined the pulsation of begun parallel to the cities in the a future-exploding metropolis. . Due to the colonial B. Colonial era: It is said that the context, adjustments between the colonial city emerged by chance8 pulses of colonial-industrialization with the: vis-à-vis the vernacular settings were · Establishment of contrasting and alarming 10. There Headquarters of British East had been downside (poor housing India Company (1757) and and infrastructure standards) for the later the British Dominion in native population. India, C. Post-colonial era: During this era · Declaration as capital city of the vitality of the metropolitan pulse Colonial India in 1916, and diminished with: · However, it suffered major · Industrial and Infrastructure political loses after the seat of degradation, obsolescence of power was transferred to Kolkata port (maritime) with loss of wider facilities, national and global · Inadequacy of housing and trade/economic linkages. social infrastructure to many C. Post-colonial era: The city had incoming job-seekers/settlers so far faced three major Pulses: · First, severe in-migration refugees from Pakistan in 9 From /Satgaon (Mid -Bengal) 1947 leading to population 10 On this Nirmal Bose writes: ‘. Kolkata has become a metropolis without the industrial capacity of a London or Chicago, Kolkata cannot 8 Termed as ‘Chance Erected and Chance generate the jobs and wealth necessary to take Directed’ by explorer-writer Sir Rudyard Kipling care of its population…more than half (then on the History of Kolkata (vide Introduction, three-fourth) live in overcrowded tenements and CEMSAP Situation Report (1996), joint ODA bustee quarters (slums as illegal or informal (Govt. of UK)-KMDA (Kolkata Metropolitan squatter settlements)’ (Calcutta: A Premature Development Authority) project. Metropolis” (pg 251ff, Freeman: San Francisco).

3 from neighboring states of of spring (Gajan17) and India and Bangladesh. autumn. · However, recent attempts to C. Post-colonial era: Despite urban revive the metropolitan and ecological pathologies, the city pulse11 are emerging like: continued to produce rich cultural 1. Micro-enterprise and events and allied personalities18. small-scale employment . opportunities Future of the Metropolis and (ME/SSEP)12, Alternate Planning Modes – 2. Housing and Industrial Lessons for the Future development (initiatives) Calcutta (now Kolkata) was once the by HUDCO/HIDCO13, economic capital of Colonial India. 3. Free Trade14 and new light Today it is no more. From a few industrial zone (in I.T. and scattered hamlets near the Delta, it micro-electronics). exploded to the earliest pulsating metropolitan conurbation in India Socio-cultural Patterns of Pulses with current 16 million people Contrary to the socio-economic spreading over 1600 sq.km. aspect, the socio-cultural aspect had However, with the shift of power to continued to earmark the metropolis New Delhi and subsequent political- as the cultural capital and people’s economic gloom, the city came down city of India15 promoting tourism. economically. But the cultural side A. Pre-colonial era: There were had continued to survive. For flourishing Indo-Persian expertise in Kolkata, trapped between the poles weaving industry, music and art of modernization and traditional forms to found synergetic pulses for ecology, the vision of sustainability new schools. remains a paradox. The debate is B. Colonial era: With British advent, whether the 16 million people of the the city had become a hub of Anglo- metropolitan region are still Indian culture. However, the city obsessed with ‘cultural continuity’ or resurged its ancient festivities like: are they open to fresh mega · The Autumnal Festivals of the economic pulses from trade boom in Mother Goddess16 and, the South-east of Asia? To best · The Festival of Winter Solstice understand, the planning mind needs in the Gangetic Delta an ancient ‘Delphi’ like insight into (Samkranti) and the Festival the true psyche of the ‘the city of Joy’, and understand the depths of her heart - which is the very pulse itself. 11 Refer http://www.cmdaonline.com/ 12 Kolkata Metropolitan Dev. Authority. 13 Housing & UD/Industrial Dev. Corporation 17 They represent ancient seasonal festivals of 14 Falta Export Processing Zone (FEPZ) near resurrection of corn-spirit in Anatolia/Greece. Delta. 18 Some are Nobel Laureate Poet Rabindranath 15 The details are available in the ‘The City of Tagore and Economist Amartya Sen, Musician Joy’ by Lapiers, Dominique and Collins, L. RaviShankar, Scientist S.N. Bose (Bose-Einstein 16 Fests of Goddesses Durga and like the Condensate), Humanist Mother Theresa and Ancient Greek festivals of Chthonian Demeter Reformers and Shri (The Corn Goddess) or Persephone. Aurobindo are to name a few.

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