GEARING UP FOR DAY AFTER TOMORROW

Nagpur: Development is all very well, but are we ready to pay the price for it? Should we welcome it with open arms or is there a point where we should draw the line? Calling for a fine balancing act, mass communication student Gargy Parate said, “Raipur’s status suddenly improved after it became the capital of Chhattisgarh. But it was not planned development. The result is that there is a lot of pollution and haphazardness there. We should take lessons from this. Our environmental authorities, in particular, need to be extra vigilant and proactive. Our USP is our proximity to forests and greenery, and we should not let it get trampled in the name of development. Rather, wildlife tourism should be one of the drivers of development.”Budding entrepreneur Ankit Jalan likened Nagpur’s current situation to that of a raft at the point of leaving behind a small stream and joining a fast-flowing river. “Nagpur has always had potential. After all, it is here that Tatas began their empire with Empress Mills. But somehow, we lost our way. Now, we want growth, but of course, it should be inclusive,” he said. Former journalist Moiz Mannan Haque, who now teaches at Nagpur University’s mass communication department, said that the ‘Nagpur charm’ is worth losing. “Right now, we are losing talent to other cities. When institutions like IIM come to Nagpur, it will attract the brightest minds from across the country. This will be a big plus as these people may decide to stay on or return to Nagpur,” he reasoned.Entrepreneur Tahseen Junaid said that while things such as IIM will add only incrementally to the city’s population, a bigger spurt may be seen if Mihan takes off. “I don’t know if we are ready for that kind of influx. If growth happens gradually, say over a course of 10 years, it will be better,” she said. Businessman Yash Gandhi said progress is part of evolution and, therefore, inevitable. Consultant Kapil Chandrayan said that while Pune has developed, it has succeeded in retaining its identity as a cultural and educational hub. However, Jalan differed. “The old families of Pune are not happy with the influx of students and other professionals in their city. I think Nagpur is losing its charm as its sons and daughters are going away to study and work. If Nagpur develops, these people may return. So, development might actually help Nagpur restore its charm,” he said. Chetan Ghugane, an office-bearer of the NGO Make A Difference, said that development will bring opportunity to Nagpur, rather than take investment away.While Nagpur may be in for greener pastures, how can it preserve its greenery? Chandrayan said that Nagpur has enough time to strengthen its infrastructure. “The city also needs to strengthen its stakeholder engagement process so that citizens are involved in the development process,” he said. Gandhi said that the powers-that-be need to have a short-term and long-term plan to make sure there is no ad hoc development.Haque also agreed that growth for the sake of growth, something that has happened in Pune, should not be repeated in Nagpur. Jalan suggested that a model of Hyderabad should be followed. “They too have a flowing water body like Nag River. But they have planted huge coconut palms along its banks, not only to preserve greenery but also to obscure the less-than-pristine waters,” he said.The discussion turned to development models and priorities. Junaid said that public transport is a major issue but Nagpur Metro is premature. “We should improve roads and add buses and also inculcate a sense of discipline in our pedestrians,” she added. Gandhi said that just as political parties have a common minimum programme, there should be one for the city as well. Ghugane called for alternating phases of development and stabilization. Chandrayan said, “We are getting all this development because of Gadkari and Fadnavis. But we don’t need these ‘vikas purush’ (men of development). We need a vikas system, so that even if the personalities go, the process continues.”Crime is another unwanted by product of developing cities. Apart from high profile crimes, safety is a major concern in cities like Bengaluru and Pune. Gandhi said that if Nagpur is to sidestep this minefield, it will have to make sure that the rate of unemployment is kept low. “If there is organic growth of the city, crime will be low,” he added.Chandrayan said what causes crimes is changes in consumption pattern and disparities in income. Jalan called for strengthened community policing which, he observed, was a feature of small, tightly-knit cities like Nagpur.Some panellists attributed the rise in crimes in bigger cities to influx of migrant population. Haque said that Saudi Arabia had introduced a system where local companies have an incentive if they hire locals as a percentage of their workforce.In the end, panellists were asked what citizens themselves could do to make sure that a developed Nagpur is still a liveable and likeable place. Jalan called for a bit of discipline among the citizens, while Gandhi said that Nagpurians need to be more industrious. “There are numerous Nagpurians who have developed companies with a global presence. We need to develop more such people and make sure they stay and give back to the city.”