ISLAMABAD – In an effort to shed light on Islamabad’s dwindling tree cover and the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) road expansion at Embassy Road, Reclaiming Green Islamabad (RGI) organised an art protest at Ataturk Avenue on Sunday.
The dynamic youth group invited fifteen young artists from National Council of Art to stage an art protest tilted, ‘Don’t Turn Islamabad from Green to Grey’ against the widening of Embassy Road. The art depicted a bleak and grey future for the capital city portraying an urban dystopia without Islamabad’s characteristic lushness.
RGI is a citizen’s movement and initiative that aims to raise awareness regarding the dire impact tree-cutting and non-green practices such as water wastage and single-use plastic has on the biodiversity and ecology of the city, the country, and world.
In order to expand the road, according to the CDA 245 trees were cut and the CDA has announced they will plant 2,500 new trees in place.
Mome Saleem, Convener of RGI, commented on the development, “The trees that were cut were almost 80 years old, a grown mature tree cannot be replaced by saplings. The damage to our air and biodiversity has already been done.”
She further elaborated that by initiating public transport projects such as the metro and road expansions with more tree-cutting are counter-intuitive and counter-productive. Conserving and promoting a more green, livable city is at seemingly at the bottom of the CDA’s list and protest attendees raised this concern as well.
Saleem added, “Islamabad was the first Pakistani city with a master plan that was designed by the Greek firm of Constantinos A. Doxiadis and they took special attention to maintain the greenery of the space. Avenues are roads that must have tree shade enclosing the area. Without the trees on Ataturk Avenue, how can we really call it an avenue?”.
RGI members who attended the art protest praised the artists stark depictions of a tree-less future of Islamabad and vowed that they will not stop trying to make sure Islamabad does not the same grey fate as many of the other major metropolitan cities in the country.
These paintings will be placed in art galleries so that public can view them and awareness can be raised further.
