RJ Chirashree was recently at an event at the Atta Galatta bookstore and cafe organised by the volunteer-driven Aikyam Community for Sustainable Living. Dr. Seema Iyer, an urban planner from the U.S. who is working towards Bangalore city’s sustainability growth, spoke at the event on the direction we must head in to ensure a sustainable city that works for all of us.

 
Dr. Seema spoke about her experiences in the U.S. with respect to protests, urban planning, and environmental activities. She has been using her research experience to make Bangalore a more sustainable place with better infrastructure. She is seeking the Government’s and the communities’ help to make the city more responsible. “Policies help make the city better. Population growth control should be taken seriously,” she said. “People in Bangalore have solutions for the problems they are facing and we should just implement them. Pollution control and waste management are important.”

 
Dr. Seema has worked with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) to better understand how the city functions, and is also aware of Karnataka laws about environment and sustainability. ‘My State, My Budget’ is a prominent idea. Meeting with resident communities helps to monitor even minor civic issues. “The city-based NGO Janaagraha has been doing a good job when it comes to civic issues. Every area of the city works differently,” Dr. Seema mentioned.

A solid common growth agenda, transparent communication methods, proper budget planning, and the effective use of social media are very important. “We should have a master plan and it should work by at least the year 2022. Education should be revised,” Dr. Seema said.

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Written by Chirashree Shil.