Guwahati Residents Transform Balconies, Rooftops into Green Havens Amid Urban Sprawl
Rapid and unplanned urban growth in Guwahati is squeezing open spaces, pushing city residents to look upward for nature. People are now converting balconies, rooftops, and other overlooked corners of residential buildings into compact green retreats. This shift brings plants back into daily life, offering a refreshing escape from the concrete jungle.
A Departure from Traditional Gardening
Urban gardening enthusiasts explain this trend marks a clear departure from old ideas. Traditionally, planting trees only happened in available ground spaces. Today, residents repurpose unused surfaces to grow vegetables, herbs, and ornamental plants. They use pots and various setups to create these gardens.
In congested neighborhoods where land is scarce, these small patches emerge as practical alternatives. They provide greenery without needing large plots of land.
Addressing Carbon Emissions and Urban Heat
Ankuran Pathak, a Guwahati citizen who practices urban gardening, highlights the environmental impact. He recalls that thirty years ago, houses typically featured blue and green spaces like ponds, kitchen gardens, and front lawns. These promoted a carbon-neutral lifestyle.
Today, lifestyles have become more carbon-positive, leading to higher carbon emissions. Urban farming offers a potential solution to mitigate these emissions. It helps move back toward a carbon-neutral lifestyle.
Pathak emphasizes that rapid concretisation makes tree planting more urgent. It plays a key role in mitigating the urban heat island effect. Trees reduce concentrated smoke and lower ambient temperatures.
He notes urban farming remains a small step but contributes to cooling through carbon sequestration and evapotranspiration. Public awareness and clearer building-bylaw guidance on plant choices and space allocation could strengthen these efforts.
Policy Recommendations for Greener Cities
Pathak suggests specific measures for improvement. Along with open-space landscaping, mandating vegetative rooftops in new buildings can significantly boost urban environmental quality. To implement this effectively, a clear policy framework should guide building designs. It should specify standards for green roof development.
Benefits Beyond Aesthetics
Residents involved in urban gardening report benefits extending far beyond looks. Urmi Buragohain, a Guwahati resident and urban planner, shares practical advantages. Growing basic vegetables at home supports self-sufficiency. It reduces costs and lowers carbon footprint.
She adds that more households now compost kitchen waste and reuse it as organic manure. This practice cuts down on garbage, promoting sustainability.
Mental Health and Ecosystem Support
Buragohain points out the mental health benefits. Spending just fifteen minutes in green spaces can be restorative. This is particularly important given the shrinking green areas in Guwahati.
These activities also safeguard the ecosystem. Maintaining green spaces and urban gardens supports microorganisms and insects. For example, planting native flowering plants helps pollinators like bees and butterflies. It enriches soil microorganisms, improving soil health.
This grassroots movement in Guwahati shows how small actions can create big impacts. Residents are not just gardening; they are building a greener, healthier city from the ground up—or rather, from the rooftops down.
