Bavdhan honours 25 Ganesh mandals that avoided DJ and Dolby; Hatekar says roads alone are not development

Wide roads and gleaming infrastructure do not by themselves mean development, noted economist Dr Neeraj Hatekar said at Bavdhan. He said ordinary people need jobs, good healthcare and basic amenities just as much. If development is going to damage nature and ignore the interests of local people, he said, it must be considered seriously.

The event was organised at the gram panchayat office by the Bavdhan gram panchayat and the Mangalmurti Social Club under the Chief Minister Samruddha Panchayat Raj Abhiyan and the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan. Twenty-five mandals in the village that celebrated Ganeshotsav in the traditional way, without DJ or Dolby sound systems, were honoured. Three "vruksha mitras" (friends of trees) who contributed to keeping trees alive were also felicitated.

Dr Hatekar said the need for development cannot be denied, but the price the environment pays for it must also be examined. He said the felling of trees for the widening of the Surur-Wai road, rising temperatures and the water scarcity that may follow are connected, and this needs to be understood. He said the effect of big projects on the lives of local people should also be considered. Citing the Samruddhi Mahamarg, he asked whether such projects had brought the expected prosperity into farmers' lives.

Nature lover and social worker Prashant Dongre drew attention to the stone quarries proposed in the Bavdhan area. He said the dust from these quarries and its possible effect on the environment and on people's health must be taken into account. He voiced concern that the problem would not remain confined to Bavdhan and that the Wai area could also be hit. Referring to the thoughts on tree protection in the Adnyapatra, he appealed for the wealth of trees to be preserved. He also cited the example of vendors at Wai's vegetable market, who have to sit in the sun to do business after the trees there were cut.

Wai police inspector Pradip Suryawanshi praised the people of Bavdhan for celebrating the festival while avoiding noise pollution. Saying the mandals' decision to keep the joy of the festival while staying away from DJ and Dolby is worth emulating, he appealed to the village to continue the tradition.

Village development officer Prashant Dhumal spoke about a gram panchayat initiative under which a tree is planted at the time of marriage registration. He said that if tree planting is linked to important family occasions, public participation will grow and a sense of responsibility for protecting trees will take root.

Vruksha mitras Sanjay Madan Bhosale, Nilesh Arunrao Shinde and Sanjay Balkrishna Kumbhar were honoured with a memento and a citation. The 25 mandals honoured included Navyug Ganesh Mandal, Ahilyadevi Ganeshotsav Mandal, Amar Ganeshotsav Mandal, Ajinkya Ganeshotsav Mandal, Shriram Ganeshotsav Mandal, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Ganeshotsav Mandal, Jai Hind Ganeshotsav Mandal and Manacha Ganpati Ganesh Mandal.

Block development officer Narayan Gholap, Mangalmurti Social Club president Dhananjay Bhosale, former president of the Tantamukti Sanghatana Pradip Kadam, Madan Bhosale, Chandrakant Bhosale, Sayaji Pisal Patil, Vijaykumar Raskar and Rajendra Kadam were among those present, along with villagers. Anil Pisal gave the introductory address, Keshav Kode compered the programme and Rajendra Tarte proposed the vote of thanks.