Have you ever wondered a day without a vehicle? The Bavdhan Citizens forum, one of the citizen’s group from Pune have started an initiative of ‘No vehicle Day on every first Sunday of the month.

These residents have observed their first “No vehicle Day” on 1st November 2020. Dushyant Bhatia and Deepa Prabhu proposed this initiative.

“The reason behind this initiative was to reduce the level of pollution; it comes with dual benefits, not just saves the environment, but also helps us to stay healthy by cycling, walking and running. One major reason to initiate “No vehicle day” was that Bavdhan is an entry point to the Pune city and hence the road faces massive traffic during the peak hours so the motive was to reduce some local traffic and endorse the use of cycle or walking and running,” said Dushyant and Deepa while speaking to The EarthView.

Bavdhan Citizens Forum was formed 2 years back by more than 100 active volunteers in the area. They have introduced a concept of “Adopt a lane” where volunteer takes care of the desirable land ranging from civic amenities to cleanliness and beautification. BCF was formed to solve two chronic problems first Traffic/ parking and second Garbage management.  They have around 50 volunteers who come down to road to oversee traffic each night so that there is no gridlock and for trash, they have zero trash ideas the project was introduced to promote wet and dry garbage management. It aims to send minimal waste in the landfills or the municipal machinery. They have encouraged society and trained them to segregate their waste.  With Sunfoams India, a company that recycles thermocol every month they manage thermocol waste.

“If we must leave a planet worthy of being used by our children, then it is utmost important to reduce carbon footprint. We have been destroying nature and we have seen how nature can play its game via Climate Change. Nature will win, but we can make the transition smoother by reducing the carbon footprint. For the survival of the human race, we must work in tandem with the nature. Else the saying is well known, “Survival of the Fittest” “says the duo.

They further said, “Every citizen should behave as a guest on this planet. We never leave our guesthouse dirty and so we must behave the same with planet earth. Each one needs to bring out the humanness and be more conscious about the need for other species to survive too.  Plastic & Pollution, reckless use of resources, is it man-made or natural is the biggest environmental threat today. The minimalistic approach to life. Respect nature, use what you need without greed can help our earth.”

Written by: Vartika Prasad