Now Reading: Bhopal retains green cover, but tree felling threatens birdlife
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Bhopal retains green cover, but tree felling threatens birdlife
Bhopal still hosts cuckoos and bulbuls in the city centre on Jail Road, a rarity among Indian metros. Unlike Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru, which have lost their natural beauty to concrete,…
The Story in Brief
Bhopal still hosts cuckoos and bulbuls in the city centre on Jail Road, a rarity among Indian metros. Unlike Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru, which have lost their natural beauty to concrete, the capital of Madhya Pradesh keeps a rural-European feel with forests, lakes and greenery. But the civic body cuts thousands of trees each year, slowly stripping the city of its charm. Residents fear the loss of birdsong may follow.
Modern life in Bhopal includes traffic jams, potholes, malls and VIP culture, but the air remains fresh and the Upper Lake tranquil. The city's ancient, mediaeval and modern cultures coexist. However, continuous tree felling saddens locals, who recall Richard Llewellyn's lament: "How green was my valley then." The question is how long Bhopal can hold on to its spring.
The Indian Opinion
The romantic image of Bhopal as an untouched green paradise ignores the civic body's regular tree-felling, which risks turning it into another concrete jungle. Residents' pride in their city's past must be matched by demands for conservation. The spring will truly be silenced if the government does not enforce tree-protection laws. The real test will be whether the number of birds on Jail Road increases or falls over the next five years.
Source: freepressjournal.in
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
