When stars align: I become captain planet

Shimla, July 03 Chriselle Fernandes

For a year now, I have been thinking about state of Shimla; about its waste problem, the fountains of filth, plastic wrappers carefully embedded in bricks, the landslides, the increasing number of tourists cars and traffic, its water problem, the rain issue, immense amount of construction work and also the idea of beautification versus development debate which seems to be an issue too.
And then yesterday, Shimla Collective (I hadn’t heard of it before) held a panel discussion/talk to talk about Shimla in the Gaiety Theatre. The premise was not only strong but interesting. I wondered if people like me who consciously thought of the world around them actually existed. Stars aligned and things feel into place. Finally, people like me.
As Uma Mahajan, the face of the collective spoke, she exuded an effortless charm talking about the Shimla Collective being a democratic, non-hierarchical forum that stemmed from the after shock of an ecological disaster in Shimla. Mr. Diven Khanna spoke about the manifesto particularly the work the collective was able to do especially from 2023. Mr. Himanshu Sud spoke about the research they conducted with 1500 respondents on what they thought the vision for Shimla should be. This was the basis of Shimla Vision 2041.
The panel discussion began with the moderator Mr. Tikendar Singh Panwar, former Deputy mayor, speaking on the history of Shimla’s administration. Its current status, we all agree, is deplorable, because we are looking for quick fixes rather than listening to the terrain.
About 21 years ago, I was besotted with the quote “The mountains are calling and I must go” (John Muir, Scottish naturalist and mountaineer in 1873). The only thing I did then was a 7-day-trek in Manali, watching a documentary and getting a t-shirt with the same words printed. These days, with the abundance of tourists and their cars in Shimla, I wonder if the mountains are calling them too? And they respond by saying let us all go, together in separate cars.
The hills are undoubtedly speaking to us…the locals. But are we listening? We want a smart city but do the hills too want to be smart? Must there be choice be between destroying the very things that drives people here and be smart or finding a balance between keeping the natural habitat and its integrity while being developed?
The manifesto too sought to answer three questions:
What should Shimla protect?
What Should Shimla change?
What should Shimla improve?
The answer might be simple but it isn’t easy.
Not only do we need individuals who are meticulous planners but also, we need public participation. That is easier said than done, because we live in an age where convenience supersedes everything, where speed overcompensates rationale. And we need an unceasing love for Shimla and what it truly means to each and every one us.
The panelists spoke with great alacrity about the Shimla they know and love, and offered solutions. While they spoke on the ‘carrying capacity’ of a place they asked us to arrive at solutions based on 1.Systems over Goals, 2. Evidence Based Governance and Disaster Resistance (Mr. Arjit Sen-SSP, HPSDRF) They wanted the youth to fawn over the rich biodiversity that Shimla has to offer before going googley-eyed over planting trees and or flowers from outside Himachal. ( Dr, Vaneet Jishtu, Scientist, HFRI retd)
Do you know what a butterfly bush is? (Prof. Aparna Negi- Professor, Educationist) I certainly didn’t know. An emphasis on personal hygiene was made. (Mrs. Preeti Chauhan – Teacher, educationist) What could individuals do if they only were inclined to save the city? Well, that was elaborated on by Dr. Anurita Saxena (PhD, Educationist) and Mr. Sanjeev Gandhi (DIG, TTR)
With three hours of purposeful discussion, what could go wrong? It could be too much of a good thing. There could be so much talk that the purpose was lost. There could be talk-talk and no action.
If making people aware of it was the goal of Shimla’s collective, it has won. There were many students from schools and colleges that participated in this open invite panel discussion. There were educationists on the panel, people from the administration and advocates. Mayor, Mr. Surinder Chauhan not only graced the occasion but even took questions.
The premise was indeed lofty and it delivered to some extent. If nothing else, it was a gentle nudge towards taking our city seriously and thinking about solutions instead of complaining. At its very base, it made one feel less lonely when daydreaming of being a social activist or an eco-crusader.
Where do I sign up?

NOTE: For the uninitiated: Captain Planet (and the Planeteers) was a cartoon in the 90s that had Five teenagers from across the globe unite to fight pollution and protect the planet, guided by Captain Planet.