The Hindu : Business : Call to introspect on urbanisation

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Saturday, Dec 29, 2007
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Call to introspect on urbanisation

Staff Reporter

Haphazard growth of housing

KOCHI: The conflict of development and resource conservation is the new challenge of the century, said Vice-Admiral Sunil K. Damle, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, here on Thursday.

Delivering the inaugural address at a national convention of the Indian Institute of Architects, he said there were no designated enemies as was the case last century for which people in uniform used to be in front; the enemy was within “our own self.”

“We have to modify the way we work … and also the way we think,” he said, adding that it was necessary to introspect on the urbanisation of the country that had given poor civic amenities, traffic explosion on the roads and haphazard growth of housing.

Even as the country was growing at a Gross Domestic Product of 9-10 per cent, the cities were growing in an unplanned manner. The country was ranked 128 in the human development index among the 176 nations, along with the paradox of throwing up more millionaires every day, said Vice Admiral Damle, who was an architect student before joining the forces.

At the function, Gurunath Dalvi, President, IIA, presided. Mayor Mercy Williams; Sebastian Paul, MP; and K.V. Thomas, MLA; spoke. Lalichan Zacharias, general convener of the convention, welcomed the gathering. George Mathai, chairman, IIA, Kochi centre, introduced the convention’s theme “Conscious urbanism.”

Chandrasekhar Prabhu, Editor of the Journal of IIA, the Economic Digest and Infrastructure Today and former president of Maharashtra Housing And Area Development Authority, delivered the keynote address. Roy John, co-general convener of the convention, proposed a vote of thanks.

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