Vizagites and the Environment : Residents of Vizag who watched, with despair and consternation, the systematic deforestation of Dolphin Hill by the Indian Navy to build houses could not have missed the irony in a release from the Indian Navy on World Environment Day that referred to "a plethora of initiatives aimed at improving the environmental conditions at Visakhapatnam and bringing about awareness, attention and action towards safeguarding our fragile eco system." and about ‘Mission Eco Drive’. For effect, the release also carried a picture of navy officers' wives planting saplings on the very same hill.
However, this is not about the Navy - just an example to highlight a malady that plagues most corporate houses and PSUs in Vizag: double standards and tokenism when it comes to protecting the environment. Many more contentious projects, masked as 'development', such the new Alumina plants and the 'coastal corridor' will add to the destruction of the environment while apathy of Vizagites will let those responsible get away with it. A few loners and NGOs such as the Forum for Better Visakha who do care, seem to be fighting a losing battle.
Do you think that when it comes to protecting the environment, Vizagites: