Author: Jaideep Mazumdar
Publication: Outlook
Date: January 23, 2006
URL: http://www.outlookindia.com/mad.asp?fodname=20060123&fname=Making&sid=1
Introduction: His trees have changed the face
of Calcutta's streets. Yet, he prefers to remain in the shade.
He's had to fight court cases and tolerate
apathy and indifference to provide a green cover to his decrepit North Calcutta
locality. And yet, twenty-six years of toil hasn't fatigued this 'green warrior'
who has single-handedly planted and nurtured thousands of trees that now form
a green canopy over large parts of Calcutta's concrete jungle. Especially
the arterial Vivekananda Road that now sports large shade trees.
Amit Nath Hazra, 43, embarked on his mission
in 1979. A grade IV employee in a private firm, he invests a large portion
of his Rs 3,000 salary on Calcutta's future.
"I buy year-old saplings, plant and nurture
them," says Hazra. He's never received any monetary help and has declined
awards, preferring to remain anonymous. "I have my share of well-wishers,
but my detractors outnumber them," he says nonchalantly. From the very
beginning, he had to face opposition.
"Many people never understood what I was doing-I was purchasing saplings,
digging pits along roads and planting them. For some For some unfathomable
reason, people didn't like me doing it. Under the cover of darkness, they
used to destroy the fencings and uproot the saplings. People have even cut
down trees that I once planted. Such incidents are painful. These trees are
like my children."
His greatest battle till date has been against
a confectionery, whose emissions used to stifle the saplings he planted on
the road beside it. "I wrote to everyone and ultimately approached the
Supreme Court praying that the owner of the confectionery be asked to instal
a chimney. Ultimately, the court asked the state government to act and today,
with the chimney installed, the saplings I planted have grown into healthy
trees," Hazra says with a smile. Whenever the diminutive bachelor faces
opposition, he shoots off letters to civic authorities, the police, the forest
department, federal agencies and even organisations like Greenpeace. Pressure
from these quarters has quietened many an opponent.
He has learnt many lessons over the years.
One of them is that contrary to their claims, the rich are often unconcerned
about the environment. Hazra was quick to realise that if his mission was
to succeed, he needed the support of ordinary folk. "After sustained
efforts, I've now managed to gain the confidence of some pavement dwellers
who inform me about people who harm my plants. They live on the pavements
and so they can keep an eye," he says.
Hazra picked up his love for trees from his
father. "I was never good at studies and used to bunk classes to go wandering
in parks and gardens. Nothing gives me greater joy than walking in the wild,
hearing birds chirp. My father didn't leave us much money. But I used a major
portion of what he left to buy saplings, fertilisers and fencing material,"
he recalls. Hazra has coined attractive slogans on environment preservation
in Hindi, Bengali and English that he paints on small steel plates and hangs
on the protective fencing around the saplings. Hazra gifts saplings to friends
and relatives. "A plant is the best gift one can give anyone," he
says.
Decades of efforts have largely paid off,
though not to the extent he would have liked. "Some people in my neighbourhood
have realised the importance of trees and have started planting saplings on
their own. Those living in apartments have potted plants adorning their balconies.
Such spaces were bare till a few years ago. A group of children have formed
a nature club and carry out tree plantation drives. But there's a lot more
that needs to be done," he says. As Hazra saunters down Vivekananda Road,
he points to every tree he has planted. Many are fully grown while others
are fledglings. He has constructed concrete benches at the bases of the trees
for people to take a short breather.The road is one of the very few in Calcutta
that remains cool during the sweltering summer, thanks to the lush green cover
courtesy Hazra.
Amit Nath Hazra can be contacted at: 33/C,
Sudhir Chatterjee Street, Calcutta-700006. Tel: (033) 22412946.
