Citizens unite to save the Banyans of Chevella | Nature Lovers of Hyderabad

Could the collective power of citizens be the key to safeguarding our natural world?

The movement to save the Banyans of Chevella in Hyderabad, is a story of hope. Citizens from diverse walks of life, came together with one shared love for nature, to save 900 heritage banyans and thousands of other trees from being chopped or translocated for a highway expansion project. They asked, can we find a way to build the road without disturbing these trees and their thriving ecosystems?

For years, they fought tirelessly through campaigns and legal battles. A breakthrough: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) offered a refreshing judgement in favour of the Banyans of Chevella -paving the way for the first-ever Environment Impact Assessment for roadside trees!

Join host Ananya Guru Sangameshwar in conversation with Sadhana Ramchander, Kobita Dass Kolli and Tejah Balantrapu, from the Nature Lovers of Hyderabad group, to uncover the story of the campaign and why it matters. 
...
Deepen your connection with nature: Activities for you!

1. Listen. Listen intently to any sounds from the natural world. Listen to what they tell you and make you wonder.
2. Hyderabad and other metro cities are made up of migrants. But humans are not the only migrants. Can you imagine trees as migrants too?
3. Explore and observe. Go to the same space at different points in time and notice how there are so many changes within that space, how it all unfolds.

...
Connect with the Chevella Banyans campaign
Sign the petition on Change.org
 
Website - https://www.savechevellabanyans.in/

Facebook -   / savebanyansofchevella  

Instagram, X - @chevellabanyans

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Today I think maybe we were chosen by the banyans to fight this, fight for them.

(00:06):
For this tree to survive, it needs that wasp and the wasp for it to survive, it needs those figs, the fruits.
The landscape itself, I think, plays a role in enriching the ecosystem over here.
And then it's the trees which sort of anchor it all down.

(00:30):
We said, think out of the box, it should not be either highway or trees.
Let it be trees and highway.
You know guys, it doesn't have to be a straight road.
Sort of gives you a sense of what it must have been during the freedom movement,
with you know, unassuming people who had fired up by just a love for the nature.

(00:52):
There's a whole other experience. Unfortunately, it is not something that everybody has access to anymore.
The judgment that came in November 2023 has given us the courage to hope.
And I think courage for other, you know, campaigns like this also.

Welcome to GoGreenGuru (01:13):
Sustainability in Action.
I'm your host Ananya Guru Sangameshwar and today we bring to you a special story of hope.
A story of citizens coming together to stand up for nature.
A story of connection to nature.
We are talking about the movement to save the banyans of Chevella, Hyderabad.

(01:37):
900 heritage banyans and around 13,000 more trees were to be chopped or translocated
for expanding a highway.
A diverse group of citizens came together
united by just their love for nature.

(01:58):
They fought tirelessly through campaigns and legal battles.
The tiny seed of a mighty banyan tree is smaller than the egg of the smallest fish.
When grown, it is large enough to offer shade to the entire battalion of the king.

(02:19):
With this Tamil quotation by a 16th century Pandian king, Ativeerama Pandian,
The National Green Tribunal offered a refreshing judgment in favor of the banyans of Chevella in November 2023
asking the National Highways Authority of India to conduct an environment impact assessment before touching these trees -

(02:42):
The first time an EI has to be conducted for roadside trees!
So do tune in to this episode if you would like to rekindle that love for nature, that connect.
We have some exciting prompts and activities shared by our guests towards the end of this episode.
So don't miss that.

(03:08):
Hello, a very warm welcome to our show.
I am so excited to meet all of you here today because this Chevella banyans campaign is so inspiring and wholesome and it is close to my heart as well.
So let's start with hearing the story of each one of you.

(03:32):
So I love for you to deeply introduce yourselves and what is the story of your connection to nature, to Hyderabad and to these banyans?
What is that story like?
So I am Sadhana Ramchandar. I have always been passionate about nature since childhood.

(03:55):
I grew up being outdoors a lot and helping my mother with the garden.
So I mean every time I'm outdoors I have always felt a connect and I have always felt very happy being outdoors.
So the connection with bannions was in the 80s when we went on a bike, a big group of friends, to Vikarabad and Anantagiri Hills.

(04:26):
That was a very popular picnic spot.
And although at that time I wasn't looking at trees, I was very happy because there was a huge cover of green all the way.
And it was a wonderful drive in rain actually. We were on bikes and we had a car and it rained most of the way and we went in the rain.

(04:49):
It was beautiful. So that's a very fond memory that I will never forget.
And of course 2019 when we heard that the banyans are in danger.
So we have been working in the field of nature education in the sense, working in a school, studying trees, studying nature, Kobita and I.

(05:12):
And we have also been trying to spread the love of nature among people.
But and we never wanted to be activists. This was something we were very happy doing and you know it was always a happy space for us.
So but when the banyans were in danger, we said, you know, we can't just keep quiet.

(05:33):
We have to go. We have to do something about it. Luckily by then we had the nature lovers group and there were some people who thought like us and we said, okay, let's go.
Let's try and do something. We are against huge powers, but let's try and see what we can do. We can't just let the banyans go.

(05:55):
So that's how it started. That's how that's our connection with the banyans. Today at me maybe we were chosen by the banyans to fight this fight for them.
Yeah, that's really beautiful and touching that your love for nature automatically made you like, okay, we need to do something for it because it's in danger.

(06:16):
Perhaps I should jump in and introduce myself. I'm Tejah and it's the opposite for me. I don't I did not have a great appreciation for nature or anything for all the time that I was going.
I grew up in a city. I could maybe make out a coconut or a mango at best and that was it. That was the limits of my understanding of the natural world until you know a few years ago when

(06:42):
Sadhana and Kobita started doing these nature walks. I will let them talk about it. I was one of the many citizens of Hyderabad who really benefited from a whole new lens that whole new world open for us.
We got to we got to really spend them and differentiate.

(07:03):
It's a hard skill, right? You know, I have something that I really like and then to be able to spread that joy to other people that is not something that is easy and that is not something that is possible for me.
Luckily for me, Sadhana and Kobita had it and they were able to share their love and joy for the natural world with many many people like me.

(07:26):
So, yeah, so I have two young sons and they had questions about these and I had no answers to I couldn't identify the dreams about my house.
So that got me thinking and that got me into it. So I don't know in kovita and I joined a group and I got to see the world through their eyes.
And I cannot claim to be any more of an expert than I was when I was a few years ago when I first met them. But now I can definitely say that my understanding of the world is much broader and more deeper and more richer because I can now see all the things that I was blind to for most of my life really.

(08:09):
Kobita.
Yeah, like Sadhana has said, I have been in the lap of nature ever since I was really young.
I grew up in the city but fortunately for me I had my grandma and my parents, they were all huge plant lovers. So we had a lovely garden and I being a single child.

(08:42):
I would spend a lot of time just being in this open spaces and playing around observing and these moments of my childhood is something that I can never forget.
You know from looking at a bulbuls nest in a garden from trying to rare grasshoppers and you know looking at insects and things closely.

(09:11):
And then going into college and being again in a fabulously green space in Chennai and you know paying more attention to nature around me because I was, you know,
a botany, crutch it and then coming to Hyderabad and you know I've also lived in Bangalore.

(09:35):
So there's a lot of greenery that I've been around with and Hyderabad was a real eye opener.
The landscape was unique to me and I just completely fell in love with it.
Though it was dry and you know it was scrubby but it was just an amazing landscape.

(10:03):
Little plants and I think I'm always drawn to the small, you know, I like to look in and it was just amazing looking at all the herbs and grasses and insects that you know Hyderabad hosts.
And then of course I met Sadhana and you know we were doing this activity class for 10-year-olds and that was another joy.

(10:34):
And then you know we got into this activity of you know taking people on walks and Sadhana used to say you know trying to cure tree blindness.
For most people and it was such a pleasure really to share the joy of you know what we know and what we are seeing with other people who you know haven't had that.

(11:05):
And you know sharing that pleasure was just is always exciting, it's always wonderful.
And then when the Chevala, Banyan, you know threat came up. I actually had never been on that road and on the hearsay of so many people and friends and acquaintances that you know it's such a wonderful stretch of trees.

(11:34):
I then visited sometime in April 2019 and it was just amazing.
What a wonderful set of trees that was. And I think there was so much learning through these years from 2019 to now 2023 and I'm still learning.

(11:55):
You know the role that these trees can play and their importance in that landscape.
And we continue to you know keep an eye on them and you know the hope is always there that perhaps most of them will still continue to stand.
But really the kind of learning that I've had from this entire campaign has been astounding really.

(12:25):
I love to hear more about these banyans. So what are these banyans all about? What's the history of them? The heritage and why they so important for our ecosystem and for Hyderabad?
Okay so as we know we're not you know 100% sure but as we know the banyans were planted perhaps you know in the early 20th century.

(12:54):
So we are guessing there anyway from 80 to 100 years old and the banyans in question are along a 46 kilometer stretch.
Or like we say maybe a little more let's say from Bekarabad until Hyderabad.

(13:15):
And we realize very soon that you know the fact that these banyans have been standing for decades for so many decades itself has helped establish a very important ecosystem.
And then you add to this the fact that the banyans have a very special biology where you know they're all fecal trees are dependent on wasps to pollinate them.

(13:50):
And that itself is you know a significant difference from other plants in that you know there's just mostly it's just one was per species.
So there's one was species to a fecal species and the banyans of course have you pristine a mesonia a little fig wasp that pollinates the figs.

(14:19):
Now the thing is that for the tree to survive it needs that wasp and the wasp for into survive it needs those figs the fruits.
Right so the wasp can only survive within this they grow and they reproduce within the fig and only the female was a scale to go looking for another fig in which she can lay her eggs.

(14:48):
And in the process she fertilizes the fig flowers so the banyan over here is has to keep the fig was alive and because of that it produces fruit through the year not at a particular season not just once a year but it can have a couple of flushes or more and then when you have a row of banyans.

(15:17):
Or a grove of banyans they're all fruiting in different times and as you know the banyan fruits are abundant especially they're old trees even more abundance and these fruits are loved by several several creatures.
Okay so it's a it's a storehouse literally for all the creatures around and it's also something like a magnet it draws creatures to it right because it provides so much of food and that then becomes it grows into an ecosystem right just one tree itself can be can function as a small ecosystem.

(16:04):
Where it draws in several creatures creatures roost creatures live there some of them of course visit seasonally so there are all kinds from mammals birds to insects whole cross section of fauna which depends upon the tree right and then when you have this you know corridor of trees in one of the most important things.

(16:33):
In one of the most fertile areas outside of Hyderabad so in the western side of Hyderabad if you know we have Anantagiri hills which and Damagodam forest in all these forested areas this is the catchment area for the river music which ultimately flows through Hyderabad and this road begins somewhere in that region and it connects to reserve forest along the way.

(17:02):
Cannapali and Mudimiyal and it reaches Hyderabad via another national park which is Mrugavani and on either side of Mrugavani we have the two larger drinking water sources of Osman Sagar and Himayatsagar.
The landscape itself I think sort of plays a role in enriching you know the ecosystem over here and then it's the trees which sort of anchor it all down right so it's there's something more to it just being a road line with banyan trees there's like there's much more happening over here so we thought it was.

(17:49):
It was you know so very important and this we kind of knew that they were you know amazing trees they had this amazing ecosystem around them but so many nuances and aspects of it is you know is what we learnt while observing the trees over these trees over these you know past three years three and a half years four years so they are important there's no doubt about it.

(18:17):
So what happened to these banyans so like what what was the threat when did that happen and how did you get to know about it what then what did you decide to do after that.
Yeah it was in April 2019 that we read a newspaper article that said that the banyans were going to that they were going to make the road NH163 which actually starts from Warangal and then goes on to.

(18:46):
So they were going to make the road and I think that the article also said that the tree cutting will happen so when we saw the article we were like we were pretty shocked and we said you know and that was the last exit from hasworth all other exits are tree less and they have a highway.

(19:14):
We were pretty shocked and we said you know we can't just keep quiet even though we just wanted to work in the field of nature awareness and nature appreciation.
We said we must get together and at least try to save these banyans so we immediately a group of about I think about 10 15 people we met at Lamakaan and to just brainstorm to you know think about what we can do how we can go about go about it.

(19:43):
And so we met we talked about it and we decided to start an online petition that was I think the first thing we did and we started the online petition.
We went the same day we drove all the way to Zahirabad to just see the banyans to you know to kind of touch them.

(20:06):
I don't know maybe we were trying to reassure them that we'll try to save them so we went and then we got quite you know you're very touched seeing them and I think we resolved that day to do whatever we can to protect them.

(20:27):
And that was when you know that was how the journey began and then there were so many things that we started planning both in terms of meeting officials in terms of you know doing a campaign planning events.

(20:51):
Of course we started the online petition and then a series of events at the banyans then we spoke to the press so that those were the I think the first things we did.
Teja would you like to add something else?

(21:14):
Thank you so much and I think there are a couple of other details that I would love to add like so for people like me you know it was some sadhana had written a beautiful post an article.
And that sort of captured the anguish of many of the people who had spent a lot of time on that road and it also captured a vision of what is possible if we left those trees in place right whatever we trying to conserve whatever we trying to keep going.

(21:44):
And that galvanized many many people like me to really I mean to go on to that road and to sort of spend some time there to understand what is it that really moved all of these people so much and so then we also joined that group you know that came in together at lama can't to understand.

(22:05):
You know what was at stake in telling you see there are two things right so there is there is the logic of of the of understanding the value of the trees in the environment at a very visceral level at a very human level and then there is the understanding of the legal standing or the the procedural standing of these trees and what is it that we were trying to you know what can be achieved within that legal and procedural framework to ensure that those trees.

(22:34):
So there is that you know so things that we think are easy and straightforward and normal normally not easy and straightforward and normal especially when large complex projects come together right and so then yeah so that was what so what happened then was that we began to understand you know we were trying to unravel the complexity in trying to understand where those trees stand in this process and what does it mean to try and keep them there.

(23:03):
Right so there are different so there are different solutions that are available to this part the straight forward one is you just cut those trees down and you expand the product and then the other step is perhaps you can move those trees away the word is transportation right do you move those trees away and then you expand the road and it looked like the policy frame that existed this was the two most likely solutions there was that outside.

(23:31):
And then we realize then that argument was the third which is that keep those trees.
So which is that you know it is so you know it almost felt as if that third possibility was not there at all.
Everybody kind of automatically assumed that those trees were going to either disappear or they would get it will be pushed to another site and then the road would get to it and there was no other possibility.

(23:56):
And so then we realize that perhaps that our role then is to open up that third possibility and ensure that in this complex framework of discussing what is development how do we ensure that the trees and the natural world have adequate weightage right when you make those choices how do you ensure that these these natural resources also are given the right value in a sense when you make those you know those kind of development decisions.

(24:25):
I think you brought up something important so could you like to talk more about the trans location aspect which was suggested and why that really doesn't work.
I think you had written articles about it as well on the chivalr banion site.
Just that the very basic level that a transportation process works and you can take a three and you can write at the very basic you want to have a very visual level.

(24:51):
So everybody came that translocation was the solution that they were offered but we felt that it was a hollow offer because there was really I mean it was not very different from cutting or felling the trees because there was no real evidence to show that they had the where within to ensure that 900 plus trees would be translated safely and ensuring their survival right there were people just made it was just a promise that people had to take for granted right there was nothing to sort of substance.

(25:20):
So that is the larger argument that we were thinking right so if you want to transfer these trees shows the average.
But if you can it is perhaps better leave the keys where the argument there is that you know if you leave those trees there where they are they will continue to perform the function that they have always performed right and we can find ultimate it is not as if you know we are that road is being through.

(25:49):
You know some some deep ravine and that is the only flat open.
All the numbers to that same alignment where you can conserve the trees and also build a road that puts those trees.
So for that to happen the argument that we were meeting is that you know that you can go back to what are called the Indian road congress guidelines which is the which is the protocol in essence road building.

(26:16):
You know civil engineers follow to build a road to construct a bigger.
So there is very little information available to people about transportation so we have had to spend a lot of time and energy trying to you know first of all study ourselves because we don't know.
So we tried to study and we tried to find out a lot of facts about transportation.

(26:39):
So basically when you translocate retreat you know what is done the entire canopy is removed branches are removed and then the roots are trimmed not just a banion any tree and just the stump is translocated.
So that is something that and the chances of survival are I mean we can't say whether it is survive or not for exiles just give you one example on the secretariat.

(27:07):
On the secretariat Karthabar road there were 200 trees of gold you know Tebibia or here we choose to bloom beautifully every year in March.
I'm sure you remember everybody remembers those trees and then the government came up with the idea of formula e-races and for that overnight about 100 and 100 trees, 125 trees were.

(27:35):
They said translocated but I have gone myself and I have seen that a number of them were just shocked and 75 were remaining.
Now when you go there you can count 6 or 7.
So they told us that those trees have been translocated to Sanjibaya Park and to some other parks.

(27:58):
So we went and checked I think hardly 20 have been translocated. So out of 200 and these are trees that can easily be translocated.
So one of the things I tell people is if you can hug a tree you can translocate it.
If you cannot hug the tree you cannot translocate it.
So these trees are actually huggable but still they did not they could have done it to save all of them but it was not done.

(28:26):
And the newspaper said that they have all been translocated.
So I'm just giving this example because it gives you an idea of how things work or not.
Now imagine those 900 variants being translocated.
So our group actually we did so much a lot of research we studied translocation protocols of other countries.

(28:50):
We don't have one in our country and we actually came up with a very detailed translocation protocol which actually we hope to pass on to the government but we have not been successful in doing that.
Kovita you want to say something.
So yes translocation is something that is done.
It's called transplantation as well for young trees.

(29:15):
And some older trees if required but in this case we're talking about bannions.
We're talking about decades old bannions which each one of which is an ecosystem in itself.
So what are we doing with disrupting much more?

(29:36):
It's not just a tree you know it's much more.
It's an entire ecosystem you're disrupting. You disrupting the channels it has created over the years to you know soak in water into the ground is massive you know root system.
Microbial and bacterial colonies and then the entire you know canopy which has been you know supporting a lot of fauna.

(30:07):
And at the same time you're removing all the benefits that we as humans I mean even trying to you know leave out the rest of nature but we humans were benefiting from these large old trees and we're removing all of that.
That is what is required right now in fact because you're all talking about climate change and all these repercussions we are undergo facing just now.

(30:34):
And can you imagine in this process we are removing all of this all the benefits that we've been cutting and at the same time we're releasing a whole lot of carbon.
Instead of sequestering carbon which now seems to be the buzzword right.
So there's much more here going on at you know with translocation than just removing and moving a tree to a new place.

(31:05):
Couple of you know for the issues one is when you're moving those trees where are you moving so one of the things that happens in hyperbubble.
And just that those trees trees from public grounds are sent away to private land right some big rich person who has the land is willing to accept the tree but the net effect is a tree which you and I can go and hug is now within somebody as a private property.

(31:34):
Sorry in a way you know I don't want to blame the rich people who can afford to do it it's a good thing that they're trying to do right but you know but as a society there's something for us to think about where you know where public resources are going away into private land right so that is one.
The the second aspect which is that we are going to now clearly your mark places you know where trees will only be and they will not be in the right so please won't be on the roads they will only be in parts right so if we find trees on road we will take them away from the road and that makes no sense right so what that what in the what we are essentially trying to do is to sort of build these three get holes which which is where we sort of house extra trees.

(32:18):
You are sort of treating them like these movie posters you know that you're moving around you know across the city right so and so that that kind of you know it kind of shows a sort of a lack of understanding of you know why we are doing this you know when people talk about climate change but then they also want to the benefits of

(32:39):
turning away or taking away those trees right so I think one of the thing and we are just moving like us like the safe child of the news is a reminder and to be to policy makers that you know that the old ways will not work anymore you know that you have to follow up the words that you say actions right so if you say trees are important then we will have to

(33:04):
as if these are important what you must see and you have to try to literally hide them under you know a part sort of content and so on.
Thank you for sharing that so these are ecosystem so we cannot just approach the whole ecosystem that doesn't make any sense as you said could you talk more about the campaign so what did you what did you do how did you approach the whole issue and

(33:31):
how like bringing the campaign forward doing your research and reaching out to the policy makers to the citizens how is what was your strategies used and the actions you took to the things you proposed what was that whole story like.
So as I said earlier we started the I think going to various officials we went to the forest department we went to the collector of we caravad we tried to contact politicians I mean we have had a you know we've been wanting to go and meet the highest

(34:14):
KCR to impress upon him the importance of this road and the banyans but unfortunately we never got appointments with these people so we met the minister of road and transport we met
and NHI themselves so we had actually done a lot of research and come up with alternative proposals for the road and so we went and met the local representative head of NHI and in fact we have been quite a few times to their office to have a chat with them and we also said that we would like to be involved in the planning of this because we were very interested in

(34:59):
seeing that the trees were kept in C2 and so we did a lot of documentation so alongside this we were also doing a lot of events public outreach so we had events at the banyans plenty of them actually is right from 2020 I think we did multiple trips on those on the road.

(35:25):
We had a first I think the very first event was a deep hourly event the power lia at the banyans where people came and we had lamps and everyone stood you know holding lamps and that was a fantastic event so slowly people started knowing about our campaign so with regularity we had these campaigns there was one

(35:51):
pre-independence day event and most recently we had a Christmas at the banyans and I think there was one event where we just went and stood in solidarity with the banyans just stood quietly so all this helped people in Hyderabad and outside come to know about our campaign.

(36:15):
It really did us a lot of good gave us a lot of press coverage we was very happy because the press constantly reported what we were doing.
What is the geotagging was the next exercise that we took on maybe one of you can talk about that.

(36:39):
This I did that you know it would be a good thing to document the trees we had actually I think we have walked and driven several times counting the trees that I think we were finally no doubt about our numbers.
We were quite short of our count but at the same time we thought you know when we geotag I mean there's there's nothing that can go wrong or no one can argue with you so that was something that you know one of our

(37:13):
members you know she did very well and so she organized this entire process and you know finally we got it done having a bit about 20 people over four days and so we actually covered the entire stretch on foot over these you know these many hours that

(37:42):
we did the geotagging and finally we had this you know wonderful map of all the trees you know on the on the Google maps you could actually see this wonderful garland of trees.
And so that again gave us you know something definite another ankle another you know affirmative position I should say you know regarding the importance of these trees.

(38:22):
And then of course we had also Mr. Prakash from Warangal who wanted to do a Pateatra and that again you know gave further impact as to the campaign because that was something really amazing you know he stepped in and said okay I'm going to walk from Warangal and people joined him you know especially I think from

(38:50):
from home gate onwards there were people from Hyderabad who you know joined him at various stages and accompanied him all the way to the end of this route which was Manegura you know the the entire stretch of one sixty three from

(39:13):
from Murgawani to Manegura is what we are you know concerned with but he did the stretch from Warangal to through Hyderabad and then all the way to Manegura right so and with various people we had lot of support with lot of people joining us you know through this especially the last stretch on the

(39:38):
outskirts of Hyderabad you know we got it a lot of support so that was one of you know very heartening events and you know considering Mr. Prakash himself or you know has done several of these I think earlier he had done
four if I'm not mistaken or at least three walks and he had been successful in getting attention and you know achieving his goals at his party address and so you know this kind of boosted our hopes and you know it was a much needed

(40:17):
for us as well because as you know these long run out you know very hard campaigns can you know take a toll on people who are you know on the ground so we had a you know we would
down this kind of roller coaster you know with our hopes flagging and you know like hitting rock bottom and then suddenly we would be on a high so I think you know so these kind of you know public support

(40:46):
really sort of kept this campaign going we had you know artist and a curator who wanted to be inspired by the bangings and wanted a group of artists and photographers to you know sort of
being inspired and do an exhibition you know after visiting them and we actually took them on a you know small walk and showed them the trees and you know

(41:17):
various people they connected you know their own ways with these trees and at the end of it we had a wonderful exhibition which was part of the HLF last year
the Hadabat literary festival and it was it was really something you know so and that actually had a got a lot of attention you know even for us and considering they were at the HLF it was actually a really nice thing you know that

(41:48):
happened again for the bannions and for creating a van is basically of the trees so I think you know all in all we have walked I don't know how many times along that road it's you know we were counting I think
you remember we were counting I think we were trying to get a count on not just the bannions but all the other associated trees along the stretch so we were walking I mean we walked several kilometers really with

(42:22):
various people who pitched in at different times and said oh we can help and you know we'll accompany you and things like that so it's been it's really been
an amazing you know journey actually and and just standing under the trees observing wildlife documenting the other flora which are associated with the trees all of this has been you know I think has kept

(42:50):
as going at least it's kept me going you know sometimes you look at the larger picture and sometimes you narrow down and just look at the tree and it all helps you know all these different perspectives just to keep us going.
Yeah.
I just want to add to that so in January 2022 that was the time when Rakaash did the padayata and that was the time when we were all at our lowest actually we were feeling really very very frustrated at the

(43:23):
campaign and at the what was happening in the court in Chennai and then he came and it was really a boost to our enthusiasm and similarly six months passed and in June to the 2022 once again we were you know very
rejected and that was a time when one actor Marathi and Telugu actor Syaji Shinde he suddenly contacted us and said I want to help you and we will stand I mean why would this man do it and then we we learnt that he himself has an NGO where he works

(44:02):
you know to conserve nature and in his own way it does he helps conserve nature so he contacted us one Sunday afternoon around two o'clock and said take me to the
banyans and I mean no one was free I also was quite busy but I said now we were not leaving any stone unturned any help from anywhere was welcome.

(44:27):
We said let's see what's what this is about and so me and a friend Angelie Pandey both of us dropped everything we had planned at the and then went picked him up from film
Nagar and took him all the way to the banyans where of course he's student he kind of spoke and you know expressed his support for the banyans and ever since he's been our friend he's been and he's very

(44:53):
popular so he would he immediately got mobbed over there it was very interesting and we kind of you know felt very happy that you know we've been looking for some
celebrity to help us with this cause but we haven't been able to find anybody who would because this is something that it is in a way you know we are against the

(45:17):
government so there are many people hesitant to join us but this man came and he was subsequently he made a few videos and he in his own way he tried to support us and he still is with us and we can look to him for help.
So these were some wonderful moments that happened in the campaign which were unexpected and which were very heartening really very very heartening.

(45:45):
You can give a brief overview of the you know the case at NGD and how.
Yeah.
Yeah no no that was that's the only thing that's the only missing piece you know in the lobby you know story that COVID-19 has not just sort of recounted right so I mean some of these things you just have to be there to sort of get a sense of you know what you know so like when the past game walking

(46:13):
and when you see people joining him and you know sort of gives you a sense of what it must have been during the freedom movement right and all that sort of a thing right so you only hear and read about those those kind of things and then to be actually a part of it with you know
unassuming people who are fired up by just love for or nature there's a whole other experience and not unfortunately it is not something that everybody has access to anymore right you know when

(46:39):
when you know when we gained independence it seemed to be a far more common phenomena right just to you know so one that one final missing element in what we were trying to do was to realize that the key thing to do then is to approach the course right we were trying to understand what was the best way to sort of put pleasure not and to sort of bring

(47:05):
to put pleasure so that the policy makers understand the value of what we're looking at let's see ultimately there's not just about the values right there any such patterns across many such high days many such roads across the across the country
there are other groups that are trying to save things if there is any value in it change that is possible with this kind of a thing

(47:29):
we were hoping that we also help others like for example the campaign to save things across the steel flyover and I will know a little bit
so that you know so the campaign was they had been shared their insights and their experience and their research that sort of fed into our own process you know
right here so you know some things like that right so so that was so with all this you know we went and approached the national drink to be the NGP

(47:55):
if there's a sudden bench and ultimately our key was to understand you know there were several questions that we were asking
one is the fundamental fact that please don't have any mistakes in any of them maybe if they are a forest or if they are part of a like a sacred grow or something perhaps you know they would be recognized as part of that grouping in a sense right

(48:19):
the original keys unless they are like your special or most trees don't have any mistakes or any legal methods over night is just a plan
so they are like bunting that come in order in elections right
so then so what you are trying to understand then so then how do you sort of in this space for you
and how do you sort of legal standing for them so how do you ensure that if please can have a conflict for

(48:47):
so our position was basically to try and ensure that see we are not experts in building roads and we are not civil engineers
all we are trying to do is to ensure that they as engineers who are building public resources they are beholden to the public
and when the public says this is important they have to factor that into their plants if you say these are important they will have to factor that into their infrastructure

(49:13):
so that is that was essentially our actual so the the petition that we put basically recognize the value
I mean from our argument argument was to show their value of the trees
and we were also appointing out to several unique features of our NHIA
like actually the authority of India of course so for example as Kovita mentioned the national highway

(49:39):
163 N-163 which is from Warangal all the way to go to the right but the you know the the stretch between barangal and either
bar is already done they did it in two phases and they have you know sort of developed a whole bunch of things all that is
now they are beginning from outside either bar to at 45 kilometers that is one they go down right so why is it

(50:03):
they are doing it in phases right NHIA claims that that is how the money flows in right they get a limited budget
and depending on the budget and depending on the demand right that is either traffic increase or you know
demand from local resources they choose a project right but many campaigners suspect that there is another element as well
which is that is your highway is more than 100 kilometers you will be given an environment like this

(50:29):
factor in the national uh uh flooded in the national landscape when you are making this project which is a big model
so almost all their projects are under that and which is even a kilometers is a very much a way why should you do it
why can't you take the entire highway into a company you are doing you are doing this project

(50:51):
so that was one thing that you were trying to do because in the check and pick any road right
they are up the road outside your house or my house they can they can make it a metal highway right
and one of the thing that we highlighted is that this particular road was built by the NISRA right
and NISRA stopped and connected right so it was not really to be a modern highway
the most hardy authority is that they were only upgrading it

(51:13):
so because it is a small stretch it is a small as in it is only a 45 kilometers stretch
and because they were only upgrading a highway they didn't have to do much to get this started
you know on they were offering transportation as a as a benefit that you know they were considering the
the ecological you know impact of their work and that is why they will translocate all the
900 odd things and so our argument was that you know so none of this holds this right

(51:37):
that this was not uh an upgrade right this is a whole new highway because the original road was built
you know a second ago close to a hundred years ago and that has been the talk it has been expanded
by the you know it is no way any any way close to being a modern highway
which means they were they were to scrape it all out and build a manual which in chance is the

(52:01):
big of that so that was a like it and also you know we were also saying that you know
it's your going to do then you must consider that you know that you should consider
and because then you will understand the true value of what you are just five in a sense
and so that is what they agree with so they for many said yes
right the by-ones
they are doing please

(52:25):
and the 100 odd right they are trying to go out in this day and day which
is observing those trees in Cipro is far more valuable
the checkerings are
the compensate the affordestation which is not a technique
it's an important fact that large infrastructure projects use
they have one year and they came to have that then

(52:47):
something is a scratch nobody knows how many of them survive and there is no comparison
right all in each team so there was this new study that we built
it says like a 10-bit call 610
10-bit my name can say about six terms of that
it's a question of six terms of that one
and it's a long way in the day

(53:09):
so you question that all the time
it's a whole
so the DTE judgment
except another given this engine those trees are
you know
and which I have been
amused in finding alternatives to keeping the tree
keeping all those trees in Cipro

(53:31):
so if you go there you will know and you will know that the system
you understand the cost of the environment
and then
see if you can you know and then you have a better sense
of building a new alignment
of finding a new alignment
or new industries where they are
or you know or some such arrangement
which is acceptable to both the core

(53:53):
to all of our citizens
and to NHL
so that is where we are
Thank you for sharing this
the reason I have to share the details is maybe if
citizens tell us where I want to you know
fight for trees like this
so what are the things that
you may need to consider

(54:15):
or what are the things you may need to do
and another thing this Chevella Banyans
campaign is testament for is
the citizen participation
actually manage to rally a huge number of citizens together
over the years
and I think it was unique because
it brought in the love for the Banyans

(54:39):
it reclaimed this public space
I remember there was a poetry event
as well which had attended
at the Banyans so things like that
bringing that using art
using music
or
literature
nature walks all kinds of things
so bring that love to people
that sense of love and

(55:01):
fascination that we have for the Banyans
being able to share that
and bring more people to the cause
so that is
very special thing which I would love to talk about
so how do we
how did we rally
citizens together
and what can other citizens learn
from this whole thing

(55:23):
or who is a citizen participation
how can we enable
citizen participation more
to say why it is a nature
yeah so what I feel is that
it was a very big struggle for us
it is not that
we just did it
you know it may seem like that now
but every event was a struggle
every going to every office

(55:45):
getting an appointment
going was a struggle
we just
you know
we just tried very hard to find our way around
and
now when we look back
yes we did a lot of things
how we did it
as I said it was very very tough
people were not coming

(56:07):
everybody is busy
we are all busy
you know everyone has a profession
people are students
studying professionals
and you know it is very difficult to take time out
and come
the events
people came
you know I think
30-40-50

(56:29):
they did come all the way to
Chevella
we used to have
there was a time when we actually
conducted walks
just to make people come on that road
and see and appreciate the
so there was a time when
this walk
we used to conduct every month
and there was one month when

(56:51):
there was just
one participant
no one came
so it was just me and Angelie
who was conducting this walk
and one other person
and yet we did it
so these are very
frustrating and depressing
moments but we said
let's do it you know

(57:13):
nevertheless
if it is one person
opening that person's mind
to the beauty
and the importance of these
so it was really
persistence
it was a
kind of stubborn hope I think
and many times we didn't even have the courage to hope

(57:35):
so as I keep saying
the judgment that came in
November 2023
has given us the courage to hope
and I think
that is one thing
that has
that is a very big thing
that happened
and
but all along

(57:57):
we knew that
we were doing something right
we were not
our slogan has always been
road B
Jard B
we never said
we don't want the road
we
you know don't make the road
we never said that

(58:19):
so we were not against the government
we said think out of the box
the time has come when
climate change
is a big threat to the whole world
and we need to think out of the box
and come up with a solution
it should not be either highway
or trees
let it be trees
and highway

(58:41):
you know guys
it doesn't have to be a straight road
think about it
do something different
and we wanted to also tell our state government
that this road is so important
that they should understand the importance
of the biodiversity on that road
the Muthami Alphorist
the Banyan trees

(59:03):
and 9000 other trees
let's not forget 9000 other trees
it's not just 900 Banyans
it's 9000 other trees
and so
this is what we wanted to tell the state government
make the entire road
heritage you know
Telangana biodiversity heritage road
have all type of

(59:25):
picnics and entertainment
all type of things
why should you
speed on every road
you know take a break from your life
go slow
breathe the fresh air
do other things
sit under the banyans
have a picnic
this kind of things

(59:47):
you can even think of other kinds of old pastimes
you know
this is what we wanted to tell our state government
and we have said it in our
I think in our petition
in the documents
in many documents that we have written on this subject
I think there's one document
that came up with
about how we can make this heritage road

(01:00:09):
so these are all the
you know things that are important
and
I think it was
more than anything else
that belief that
this is important
and that the banyans have to be saved
that is what kept us going
despite many disappointments
despite many hurdles

(01:00:31):
that we came across
so I think it's a determination
it is a kind of a belief in ourselves
belief that
this is the right thing to do
and that if not us
who will do it
you know we were there
and as I said right in the beginning

(01:00:53):
maybe the banyans chose us to do this
yeah
yeah
as Adnan says
it was hard
not easy to get people
to support the cause
not like you know we had
the kind of grouts
that some other
such campaigns

(01:01:15):
you know four nature have seen
in other parts of the country
but it was just
sheer
I think big headed determination
and the fact that we believe
that we were doing the right thing
so no matter what
the ultimate
fate of these trees
we just believe that

(01:01:37):
we have to
there was no way we could not
it became that sort of thing
almost like a sense of duty to those
to these
silent
but giving
trees
we just felt we had to speak for them
and

(01:01:59):
I think that is what
get us going
of course with also
embedded from various people
at various turns
we just pop up
I think Teja
so many
reporters
journalists who reached out to him
all the time

(01:02:21):
and suddenly just said
you know wanting to
sort of record
the experience or
you know know about the importance
or also
sort of documented for
other such
you know kind of campaigns
there were various interest people

(01:02:43):
and I think
every one of them
however small
gave us a sense of
sort of assurance that
okay you know
we still doing the right thing
and I think that
get us going and that is very important
I think you know when
one is trying to

(01:03:05):
do such a difficult
task
you know is to keep
that sense of
okay you know I need to see this
through to the end
whatever it may be
I mean yes
we all will be this
heartened at certain times
related at certain times

(01:03:27):
but it's fine
I don't think we should
look at it as you know
that you know
that only if we win
or you know
keep that as the goal
and then say
oh this is not going anywhere
you know I think we can drop it
things were approached in the past

(01:03:49):
in pre-independence
and things like that
you believed in something and you just
you know gave it
you're all
it was not a question of you know
getting a reward
that was not the goal
and now it's become that sort of
environment where you know
you're always seeking a goal

(01:04:11):
and effort
you know
yes the hope is always there
you know at the back
and you know a reality
right you accept it
and things can go this way or that way
but if you know
give it your all
and you know you're doing the right thing
and here it's a collective

(01:04:33):
it's not just you know
couple of individuals
and you know we breached that stage
where we knew
I think by the time we went to
I think it was something that
you know
shouldn't be done
it's an awareness that you know
it's like suddenly doing three walks
we'll never get tired

(01:04:55):
right it's something that
we think is so important
right
and we're okay with even one person
or two people
or whatever
you know
we're okay if no one shows up
then enjoy you know the next one
or even if no one shows up
that sort of thing

(01:05:17):
right so
it's just such a joy to be out
and I think we should
there are many things to be approached
in this fashion where you know
you don't
necessarily look for rewards
and accolades
or anything
just go do what you have to do
simple

(01:05:39):
now I just wanted to also add that
there is some
the other interesting thing
and there is something that we do
but we are not an NGO
we are literally just
what we can do
we have the other five just different ones
disparate
from disparate backgrounds
there is something about
this approach

(01:06:01):
and now this experience
is making me look at
and understanding
to do you know something like this
where you won't find
as campaigning for all sorts of
you know here's the problem right
the state as we call it
like the government of the state
is a mighty
multi-hurt

(01:06:23):
literally everybody cuts streets
it is very easy for individuals
or groups like us to sort of
dissipate our energies
wherever the state operates
you turn up there and then
your energies are dissipated
and you know you kind of
you know you know
what we ended up doing
we picked one issue

(01:06:45):
we were these diamonds
we dogatively followed that
in every avenue possible
if we had to meet
policy makers we went and met them
we had to go to the NGT event
you know we would
when other movements came together
we offered support
for citizens around
the world and then the country

(01:07:07):
just fell in time and to find
that one issue and ensure
that we focus on that
what is what it is
in moments that is out
and we need that as we
have been the revelation
of progress and future
yeah I totally agree with that
we need to be focused
and that's important

(01:07:29):
we need to be focused
in our continued learning
and put that out
for other people to understand
as well and I think we have been
so very good at communication
I think we are very lucky
to have fantastic people
who are you know
part of you know in this business
of communication

(01:07:51):
Teja, Sadhana, Usha
I mean so many people
and you know so I think
that's been a huge plus
you have to communicate well
you have to communicate
the right time with the right
information
and really the thing is
to do it well
and there's never been any personal agenda

(01:08:13):
ever, ever
it's not there at all
and even within the group
for it to function well
there's never been a thing
of oh you know
I'm not getting any support
not you know pulling their weight
it's not that because we all understand
everyone's got their issues
so you step up

(01:08:35):
and help
where you can
and somehow it sort of
it happens right
so you have an expectation
from people that they will step up
but you don't you know
sort of point it out
it just kind of comes together
so you know that I think
a wonderful learning you know

(01:08:57):
you need to have people
with different talents
and you know that faith
that those who are you know
sort of risen to the occasion
to hell will eventually
do their bit
right we never had to ask
anybody and if someone couldn't
which is it was okay
right we someone else would you know

(01:09:19):
step into to the breach
or we just went with it
like Sadhana said you know even if the two people
you just go with it
just do
that sort of thing
so I think these things worked
eventually
but we I certainly had
we really did it was the coming together
of just wonderful people
and especially the coming together of so many different kinds of people

(01:09:45):
right from children to
working professionals to
educators and all kinds of people
just coming together and with their own
talents, skills, perspectives,
life journeys
so that's really beautiful
the way

(01:10:07):
things just come together and you let it
really let it just happen
really let it just flow
and another thing which I like
about this campaign
is the energy make
the energy at the various events
conducted for
sensitizing citizens
to make us feel more connected to the space itself

(01:10:31):
and bringing in that energy
of fun
curiosity learning
excitement
all of that
so I think that's really important
because otherwise we kind of get
tired like okay why should I care
but then
when you

(01:10:53):
give reasons to when you
when we come to such spaces
we find our own reasons to care
we just
we just find that
connection with
the space with the people and
another thing which is important is
reclaiming the public spaces
like as you said

(01:11:15):
just going
or for picnics
under these under trees
being in those spaces
or having some event
having meeting people
or doing some poetry
or
just going around
and exploring so that's really important
we think

(01:11:37):
in urban places
we are separate from nature
it's not a part of our lives
in the pockets of nature still
and if we
just
go around to actually
spend time
just spend time
it's for our own joy as well
just being in nature

(01:11:59):
it brings in so much joy
and then once we start
spending time
and then we develop a love for the space
and then
eventually
we can stand up for it
thank you so much
and maybe to close
another one of my favorite
aspects of it

(01:12:21):
so that
the people listening to this
podcast they can take a seat back
and say okay how can
I connect better to nature
how can I
you know
find that connect
so that I can
maybe eventually
raise my voice for nature

(01:12:43):
so if you could share
a journaling prompt or a question
that can help people
reflect and explore this question
and bring the joy of nature
into our own lives
yeah
let's say
how much spending
you know
10 minutes
at some point in the day

(01:13:05):
listening for
nature you know
just listening
hoping that you will hear something
listen
market even if you know
it's just a lizard
on your wall at 9pm
that's fine
I mean you know
think about it after that

(01:13:27):
we need these little
times to reflect
upon you know
these things
and ask questions
the curiosity should never die down
so ask questions
why is the lizard there?
and then you need to
several more questions
and you know
connect there's always a sense of
wonder and joy
you know
if we take that time
now to

(01:13:49):
you know just
listen or look
at something around us, in us
aroundings which is not
built by humans
let's say
and you know
I think that would be nice. Just give 10 minutes
of quiet time listening
I wanted to say something
that Kovita don't know

(01:14:11):
which is that you know
where the trees basically in Hyderabad
are migrants many of the people
who are here.
If you see the landscape around Hyderabad
it is nothing like Hyderabad
so the large tall trees that you see in Hyderabad
are because of human intervention
that's where there is something
about trees being migrants
along with

(01:14:33):
who make a Hyderabad
because any large city
is a city full of migrants
that includes trees as well
that would be my prompt
who are the migrants around you
who are not just
of course people
not just them
I'd just like to say that
there is nature all around us

(01:14:55):
just because we are living in a city
doesn't mean that there is no nature
you don't have to go to
any of those national parks
in order to enjoy nature
it's not about having a huge
lens and a huge camera
and you know things like that
you just have to go out
there are lovely parks
Hyderabad we are very lucky to have

(01:15:17):
beautiful parks in the city
and I have observed
that every day
different things happen
in the same place
so you can go to the same park
to the same place
and see new things
every single day
so seasons change
and with seasons

(01:15:39):
it becomes
all kinds of different beauty
that nature exhibits
birds, insects
trees, flowery
it's always
things are happening in nature
one just has to
understand how to
open your eyes
look up from the
phone

(01:16:01):
and look up
at nature
and that's what everyone should do
actually
it's very very therapeutic
so that's my advice
to just anyone
yeah all beautiful exercises
I'm sure
you'll all be excited
to try it out

(01:16:23):
and think about the stories
just open our senses
to the beings around us
there's so much waiting to be discovered
there's so much for us to explore
we just let ourselves
do it
there's so much joy we can get
in that process
just the process
so how can people

(01:16:45):
learn more about the
Chavala banyans campaign
or if there are any more ways
people can support it
and stay in touch
so do you like to share any
handles
and other campaign updates
yeah so we are
on instagram, facebook

(01:17:07):
and we have a website also
with put regular updates
on twitter also
what's it called?
so we put regular updates
on all these
social media
and people can follow
we
you'll be
post about our campaigns
whatever upcoming events that we have

(01:17:29):
so please join us
sign our online petition
that's still there
and you can just google
Chavala banyans campaign
change.org
and you can get there
these are all things
once people come to one of our events
they can get in touch with us
and

(01:17:51):
they can join our
endeavor to
it's a continuing
you know
the campaign is ongoing
and it's not over yet
they still have
the fight is on and
we are continuing to hope
that we will see a happy
resolution to this

(01:18:13):
the banyans issue
in 2024
so we started on a good note
and people are welcome to join us
if not anything
let them just go and see the banyans
drive to
another giri hills
on their bikes as i did once
and see the trees
enjoy the trees
and then they'll understand

(01:18:35):
i've been taking so many people on that road
and it's only when they see
now we know
why this fight has been
what it has been
thank you so much for this conversation
it shares so much inside of what
understanding our ecology
our city more

(01:18:57):
and understanding the power
that citizens can
have if we just come together
if we go on that journey together
and how we can
just find that connect with nature
and
find joy in that whole journey
thank you so much for this
this is the story of hope

(01:19:19):
and i'm sure
it's going to ignite hope
and so many more people to continue to
be in connect with our nature
and fight for it
are you touched
and inspired
i'd love to know what you think
and feel
so do share in your comments
and reviews

(01:19:41):
share this show to as many people as possible
to spread the movement
and
subscribe to the show so
you don't miss any future episodes
[Music]