Backyard gardening in city has its problems

Sir,

Kitchen or backyard gardening has its own limitations and side effects in urban areas where dwelling units are these days measured as per cost per square feet. In olden days, many of us stayed in small villages and towns in huge ancestral homes with a vastly-spread backyard not only to grow flowering plants but also trees. As we shift to cities, we have limitations of square feet of living areas and very small scope for flowering plants.

This being the situation in Bhubaneswar, many people in our neighbourhood still are growing tall trees like drumsticks where roots will be there in their compound and branches hitting the walls of neighbour’s house. This type of tree is home for ants, caterpillars. Backyard utility is the place where we keep our washing machines and dry our clothes.

Next morning when we take out our dried clothes, we will be bitten by the ants or the worm leaves an itching injury. Many times, leaves accumulate near wash basin draining point and choke the drainage. Having plants that grow across neighbourhood is an offence (Cr.PC133-Public Nuisance) whether it is in urban area or concerning an agricultural property. Citizens should keep their gardening hobby limited to their compounds without disturbing their neighbours. People should also desist from growing plants below power lines.

We should not bring down a 9-metre road to a 6-metre one by encroaching both sides of roads by planting trees. It is time the BDA and the BMC acted.

K Ravi, E-237, GGP Colony, Bhubaneswar-751025, Mob: 9437616497