The simple fact that there are limits to growth of any town for providing civic amenities even of passable standards, somehow, has been missed by the city authorities. Further, it appears that the authorities are blissfully unaware of the fact that municipal regulations & bye -laws are meant to be enforced and not just enshrined in rule books, writes Prof. H C Pande
Several decades back the Hon’le Supreme Court had observed that Nainital, a beautiful butterfly, cannot be allowed to become an ugly caterpillar. As we are the masters of the expertise of regression, Supreme Court or no Supreme Court, the caterpillar is all that is left of Nainital. Further, as the caterpillar was too shocked to see the ugliness of the city it committed suicide. So all that remains of Nainital now is a decaying dead body of a caterpillar. From the Chairman Municipal Board to the District Magistrate on to the Commissioner Kumaon for some reason, maybe cataract and rhinitis ,seem unaware of the ground truth. Or maybe aware but unable to act with their hands and feet bound by the tape of vested interests.
The entire Mall Road, lining the lake, is an example of brazen encroachments, building construction code violations can be seen even by the blind, and the stink of overflowing sewer lines felt by even a totally blocked nose. With no master plan for the town in place, the Lake Development Authority is happily busy in collecting the fees knowing full well that nothing would go as per the sanctioned plans so why monitor the construction and unnecessarily displease the Builders ,big or small.. Houses have been built and continue to be built on declared unsafe sites visible to all, but the authorities keep turning Nelson’s eye towards this wanton violation. The Bara Bazaar once a clean street with rows of generally two storied buildings on both sides having neat stores on the ground floor and residences on the upper levels & flower pots on the terraces.It has now been reduced to a lane with motorcycles parked on the sides and street dogs lying around. Looking up, the flowers on the terraces are missing and only jumbled cobwebs of cables meet the eye.On top of it all motorcycles always,and sometimes,a car or two,can be seen to force their way through the crowd of shoppers.
The charm of Nainital was not just relief from the sweltering heat of the plains and boating in the lake but, more than that, the leisurely walks along the tree shaded paths right up to the mountain tops. Why, even along the Mall one could enjoy a carefree brisk walk without looking out for vehicles coming at one.
During the ‘season ‘ with the tourists visiting in uncontrollable numbers, driving up from Kathgodam to the hill town is a chore with the highway jammed with vehicles of every shape & size.At times the journey of an hour takes as much as four to five hours and on arrival one is not sure of finding a parking place even within 2 kilometers of the town. This is just the beginning of misery for the visitor.Exceptions apart,the hotel charges are atrocious in view of the services provided.As for the leisurely walks it is perhaps 50 years too late..During the ‘season’ the Mall is packed like a can of Sardines and one can only jostle ones way to reach anywhere.
The simple fact that there are limits to growth of any town for providing civic amenities even of passable standards, somehow, has been missed by the city authorities. Further, it appears that the authorities are blissfully unaware of the fact that municipal regulations & bye -laws are meant to be enforced and not just enshrined in rule books. Apparently,in their zealous efforts to develop the town they have actually destroyed it.FurtherAs for the department of Tourism they are happy to deliberately entice people with gorgeous advertisements extolling the long gone beauty of Nainital knowing full well that the tourist will only come once to see the dead caterpillar.But that does not matter for in the country of 1.4 billion people even one visit means over a billion visitors.What more can one ask?
(Prof. H C Pande is Vice Chancellor Emeritus , BITS, Mesra)
