felling of more than 35,000 trees ;;cutting down of trees, the climatic condition of the city has changed."

Shab-e-Malwa is no longer a cool, pleasant experience

 INDORE: Indore, which once was in league of famed cities like Banaras and Lucknow for their pleasant evenings despite scorching summer heat, seems to be fast losing its tag of 'Shab-e-Malwa." Those who have experienced those summer evenings lament the neglect and indiscriminate development for robbing the city of its title.


"The day is not far away when the expression Shab-e-Malwa will become a part of the history," feels Sanjay Vyas, 49, a professor at Holkar Science College. He says, "The indiscriminate development at the cost of environment has left the city barren. The felling of more than 35,000 trees does not matter to anyone." He adds that he misses a cup of tea he used to have during those pleasant evenings.

"Gone are the days when those evening hours were spent in friends' company," says Ambar Bapat who is an assistant professor at Sanghvi Insitiute. "No doubt the climatic changes have left a bad impact," he says.

Academic director in a private school, Sunita Rai, 39, came from Odisha and got married to an Indorean. She says, "Yes, the city has seen climatic fluctuations. The evening hours are not as cool as they used to be. So, I prefer to visit malls."

Shailendra Kumar Sancheti, a builder, who has spent 52 years in the city says, "With the increase in population and cutting down of trees, the climatic condition of the city has changed."

IMC garden department ASI Rajendra Chawliya says, "Concrete and cemented roads have blocked the passage of air freely. No greenery is found near road sides that has affected the Shab-e-Malwa tag."