Chandigarh Forest dept has no expertise to handle landscape projects: Hardial Singh Johl

Where is Chandigarh lacking when it comes to green cover?

While Chandigarh is the greenest city, it would have achieved perfection had the functional requirements essential for growing trees been adopted and implemented from the beginning. There is a great opportunity to improve the landscaping of the roads, parks, open spaces and areas around buildings. There is need for replanting, rectify these mistakes and plan ahead to provide a beautiful habitat and picturesque greenery for the city and to counter effects of pollution.

What measures should cities like Delhi and Chandigarh take to fight pollution?

Delhi’s odd-even scheme is the immediate solution. However, for a permanent one, it is necessary that all the spaces are extensively and continuously planted with large structured durable, indigenous kinds of trees. Green tunnels with strong tall trunks and spreading crowns will have to be developed and created. In Chandigarh, areas around Mohali, Panchkula, suburbs and villages need intensive greening to prevent this city from pollution.

Are there fundamental rules of tree plantation? Is Chandigarh following them?

Yes. Firstly, use of large structured, sturdy, durable trees meeting aesthetic requirements enhance urban elements rather than hiding them. Trees need to be developed as a tall single trunk with vast spreading crown that create green tunnels. Secondly, dense plantations fill up spaces in the shortest possible period. Thirdly, single kind of tree species need to be used at a specific site to develop a single whole.

Planting of trees need to be done close to the road curb to separate vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Overhead electric lines are required to be installed away from the crowns of the trees. Flowering trees are structurally small in size and should be used for landscaping of buildings, parks, open spaces and homes. The Tricity has not followed these requirements owing to which the ideal results have not been obtained.

Does Chandigarh need a separate landscape advisory committee for this?

Chandigarh’s planning and architectural designing may have been done by Le Corbusier. However, Dr M S Randhawa, the first chief commissioner of Chandigarh, was instrumental in developing it as the greenest and most beautiful city of the country. After his death in 1986, the landscape committee and the landscape wing meant to take care of the landscape projects did not survive. Landscaping of the city is as important as town planning and architecture. This city , therefore, needs an independent department of landscape to carry out improvement and preserve landscape features here.

You have been critical of palm plantation en route the international airport to Mohali.

Palm is a small-sized plant whose crown has scanty foliage and looks like a dead log of wood installed around wide roads. It is unable to provide green cover or protect one from scorching summer heat and winter blast. It also cannot provide oxygen, consume carbon-dioxide and reduce dust, wind velocity or global warming. It is not appropriate to use this plant on an important approach road like the international airport.

How effective is the forest and wildlife department in increasing the green cover?

The forest and wildlife department of Chandigarh does not have the expertise to handle the landscape projects of the city. They have got about 7,000 acres on the northeastern Shivalik hills side of the city, which forms a catchment of the lake. They should grow valuable timber trees in this area so that it may take the shape of a national park. It should become a recreational natural area where people can mingle with nature. The forest department has got another about 3,000 acres along Sukhna Choe and Patiala-Ki-Rao, which should also be planted with superior quality timber trees in a planned manner. This will improve the greenery of the city and control pollution.

How do we save trees while developing infrastructure?

Trees take a long time to develop their personality and become fully functional. So, tree plantation has to be incorporated into the initial design and planning of city roads. The reason this is not done widely is because of financial constraints. But appropriate space has to be assigned for trees from the beginning, as things cannot be altered once they have attained maturity. To plan for increased traffic needs in the future, additional space should be provided in the central verge of the road. This will allow for road widening towards the central verge rather than sides and hence avoid any removal of trees.

You have also compared works of Lutyens in Delhi and Le Corbusier in your books (Trees in Urban Habitat & Landscaping Human Habitat), and emphasised on the importance of trees.

Trees are vital and growing them is the cheapest and most effective for greening, beautification, improvement and preservation of environment. All other landscape materials such as lawns, ground covers, shrubberies, decorative plants and seasonal flowers are relatively expensive and do not contribute much in improving environment. As the head of the landscape wing in Chandigarh, I was part of the engineering department, which brought me in close contact with town planners, architects and engineers, who I felt had no idea about landscaping. So, I decided to pen books on trees and landscape.

Any suggestions for tree protection and conservation?

A Chinese proverb says, ‘If you wish to be happy for an hour, drink wine. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. But if you wish to be happy forever, become a gardener.’ Gardening should be taught in primary and middle schools to inculcate the spirit of love for plants. From childhood, children should know about tree protection and conservation.