The New Optimism of Sustainable Development
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1/8/2019 The New Optimism Of Sustainable Development The New Optimism Of Sustainable Development CITY LIGHTS Dr Goutam Saha & Dr S N Mishra 07 Jan 2019 There is a newly found euphoria with zeitgeist hovering around the city life of Bhubaneswar; with events like Make in Odisha Conclave, World Cup Hockey Tournament, Bhubaneswar Fest, followed by many fairs swirling around. The city has been splashed with colorful paintings on its over bridge pillars with muted lights making them a visual delight. Interestingly, the State Government has repositioned and relaunched two public transport systems in the city - Mo Bus and Mo Cycle. Due to Mo Bus service, in many routes of the city.buses have become more frequent. A bus ride has become a real delight with very smart looking buses, cordial bus pilots and conductors with well-designed uniform, fabulous interior with announcement of forthcoming bus stops, in Oriya and English. The Mo Cycle launching has brought in stylish bicycles which have a space allotted to them on many streets of the city emblazoned with red color. Like all new initiatives, the tracks do not have an uncluttered movement for the cycles, as cars and autos are frequently parked on those tracks. However, instead of http://www.mycitylinks.in/the-new-optimism-of-sustainable-development 1/4 1/8/2019 The New Optimism Of Sustainable Development blaming the government authorities, we as city dwellers have to be more responsible in using these services. Using the cycle tracks for 1-3 kilometer distance can help cyclists to occupy the cycle tracks from unnecessary parking and other usage. We need to plan our city trips and our office visits on a regular basis by Mo bus to save money and help to improve the air quality. Researches of Central Pollution Control Board and National Environment Engineering Research Institute on Delhi air pollution has shown that transport- menace is a very significant reason for air pollution in Delhi. Bhubaneswar has started experiencing occasionally the poor quality of air in many places which was beyond our imagination ten years before. Dedicated smooth bicycle track, canopied by overhanging trees will promote bicycling in the hot summer days also and create huge jobs of bicycle repairing to urban poor. William Nordhaus, this year’s Nobel Prize winner in Economics has rightly highlighted that “sustainment has to be given higher priority over mindless pursuit of growth”. The Paris climate Conference of 2015 and the IPCC recommendation 2018 has further highlighted the menace of global warming and the need to contain them urgently through credible initiatives. The city of Bhubaneswar is environment sensitive and the government has recently banned plastic bags. But it has not stopped its citizens from creating huge biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste in our city. To provide jobs to the urban poor and rural migrants and to clean the city effectively, Bhubaneswar can position itself as a hub of waste to an oasis of wealth. It can draw lessons from the city of Vienna which produces 50% of its electricity from the waste it generates. The city and the state have an enviable tradition of culture in myriad forms like Pattachitra, Appliqués, Filigree, Gotipua Dance and Odissi. Lalit Kala Kendra, Dance Academies and design and fashion Institutes like the NIFT dot its cultural space. Creating quality products from waste with superior aesthetic value through the collaborative effort of these Institutes can become the core competence of Bhubaneswar. After the Tsunami of 1998, the city has bounced back with greenery all-round. It has trees of different local fruits and vegetables like Mango, Jamun, Jackfruits, Imli, Moringa and Neem. This will help in creating micro-level food processing http://www.mycitylinks.in/the-new-optimism-of-sustainable-development 2/4 1/8/2019 The New Optimism Of Sustainable Development industry and help the citizens to get low-cost nutritional fruits and food supplements easily. For achieving this, proper conservation of ground water level is vital for the city through mindful consumption of water, rainwater harvesting and saving the city river of Mahanadi. The rivers are the lifeline of many cities of the world, be it Thames in London or Seine in Paris or Hudson in New York. But not too long ago Thames was declared as a biologically dead river due to its high level of pollution and contamination. Due to strict stand taken by MPs in the Houses of the Parliament and the relentless efforts of London authorities and citizens, the Thames is now the cleanest river of the world. Mahanadi can be like the Thames, straddling the old city Cuttack and the new city Bhubaneswar. However, there is an urgent need to cleanse of its waste, which will save the flora and fauna of the river. It will be a veritable delight to the visitors of the twin cities to take a cruise and have a feel of its talismanic spots that preserve the tradition of the city and three major religions Buddhism, Jainism and Hinduism and its Jagannath cult. Odisha is presently in the cusp of reviving its manufacturing momentum through the Make in Odisha Conclave Investment Summit. However it has shown unusual sensitivity by stopping building a beverage bottling plant in 12 acres forest land of Jhinkaragadi due to people’s movement, primarily because of women of nearby Balarampur village for their dedication to save the trees on that site. Building linkages with rural farmers, who produce organic agricultural products and urban consumers, who want to consume agricultural products without chemical fertilizers and pesticides at Muniguda in Rayagada has also been a highlight. The community of farmers and consumers build a market on the basis of trust and mutual understanding. Bhubaneswar cannot be smart, forgetting nearby and remote villages of Odisha. It is, therefore, necessary to build many community markets, farmers’ market, to support our farmers of nearby Bhubaneswar and Odisha and to get more healthy food and agricultural products for us. Similarly, we can purchase more frequently the handloom and handicraft products of Pipili, Raghurajpur, Nuapatna, Shonpur, Chichinda, and many more handloom and handicraft clusters for our daily consumption and for providing gifts by developing craft bazaars (a meeting place of artisans and city http://www.mycitylinks.in/the-new-optimism-of-sustainable-development 3/4 1/8/2019 The New Optimism Of Sustainable Development consumers) in city through community initiatives. It is necessary to link the village products with city consumers and give a voice to the need of building the village-infrastructure on healthcare, education, sanitation, roads in various city forums where policies of the state are discussed. Sustainable Development Goals 2015 has given highest priority to sustainment by ensuring clean and affordable energy to all its citizens. Bhubaneswar has been taking pioneering initiatives to keep its city green introducing innovative transport systems like Mo Bus and Mo Cycle and evincing sensitivity in preserving forest land from the predatory moves of corporate interests. However its indigenous flora, fauna and knowledge can be its spring board for environment friendly agro and creative and recycle industries. Victor Hugo had said “No one can stop a moment whose time has come”. Odisha’s tryst with sustainable development has arrived. Dr. Goutam Saha is Associate Professor, National Institute of Fashion Technology, Bhubaneswar. Dr.S.N. Misra, Dean, KIIT School of Management, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar. http://www.mycitylinks.in/the-new-optimism-of-sustainable-development 4/4.