Cities and countries too acquired celebrity status in many regions, including India, being identified based on their unique, sometimes exclusive features. Monuments, colourful fountains, gardens, avenues, unique-looking inhabitants, rare species of animals as well as plants and so on have figured in such identities. Bengaluru as Garden City, Mysuru as Heritage City, Pune as Pensioners’ Paradise, Jaipur as Pink City, Thanjavur as City of Temples, Australia as Kangaroo Country, Kenya famed for the African Safari and so on flash across one’s mind effortlessly. Eiffel Tower of Paris, Statue of Liberty of New York, Pyramids of Egypt, Taj Mahal of Agra, Kiwi Bird of New Zealand, scenic grandeur of Kashmir valley and so on are in a class of themselves. Abundance of money at the command of each of its thousands of millionaires has earned for Mumbai the identity of India’s financial capital. The nearly half mile-long Lombard Street, San Francisco with one-block section of eight hairpin turns, described as the world’s crookedest street is a unique case of a road earning fame for the city along with the fabulous Golden Gate Brigade open for traffic in 1937.

Visionaries among the ruling class of the bygone era have given their life’s best in creating aforementioned living spaces known by their enchanting features with utmost care to sustain a lasting balance between the gifts of nature such as water bodies as well as forests and human population. It is that care which has received a body blow by the ruling class of our times.

Over passage of time, to be counted as years of India’s independent status as a sovereign republic, the land’s space and face have both got morphed from one of beauty to one of ugliness. While Bengaluru has lost its image as a Garden City and is currently being described as a Garbage City, Mysuru, after its earning the dubious top rank as the cleanest city of the country for two consecutive years has already headed to losing that crowning glory. Monumental structures of the so-called cultural capital of Karnataka have been left in a dilapidated condition while the city is being made to lose its once-famous green cover for creating wider roads, which are themselves an apology for a road all over the city. The city administration’s insensitive attitude and inaction are both appalling.

Now comes the news in a widely read daily last week with a five-column headline “Forest Department to promote urban greening programme in city”.  While the city’s residents are fully aware of what exactly is being promoted by all in the administration head-to-foot, only time will reveal if wisdom has dawned on protecting the city’s trees, whatever are left.