A Film by Krishnendu Bose
English (with subtitles)
38 minutes / 2008
Supported by WWF - India

Delhi, known as one of the greenest capital in the world is changing fast. This 2500 year old city's history and greens are being transformed for a globalised look. This process is being rushed up, in the run up to the Commonwealth Games in 2010, hosted by Delhi. As Delhi's face is changing beyond recognition, what is the price we are paying in destroying the green lung of our city? What is the vision of this change? Who is planning the change and for whom? Is this change inclusive?

This film made over 2007-2008, captures the key milestones of this transformation. City's leading academics, urban planners, environmentalists and activists, debate the nature of this change. The ridge, the Yamuna, the city trees, city's poor and powerless – all have come under this axis of change. Commercialisation of land, seems to be the mantra fueling this new vision for the Delhi.

While we debate, resist and make films on this 'new' Delhi, Delhi is being transformed forever.

Voices from the film

"To me land n ecology are inseparable you can't think of ecology if you cant think of land ….so how to retain an ecological value when everything is completely focused on its market value "
Ravi Agarwal, Environmentalist

"dekhiye yeh pura khel jo hai yeh khel hai paise (money) ka…ye khel hai zameen…inko yaha ke basey hue kishaan nahi dikhte hai…yeh zameen inko dikhti hai real estate ke roop mein….jisko ki yeh convert karna chahate hai into money"
Manoj Misra , Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan

"Its very clear that when it comes to the question of violating land laws of violating how land and property can be used in the city …there are double standards at work …"
Amita Baviskar, Sociologist

"large number of world cities have done re-development in a very large way….built over 100 yrs or 150 or 200 yrs back in large amount of old Delhi area…or some of those particular mill areas etc…there is a large amount of potential to redevelop those particulars into a very large way…"
V Suresh , Real Estate Consultant

"Starting from Rajghat or ITO going right upto the DND flyway … they are seeing that part of the land as the most active land, because it will be the most expensive land....in other words government is seeing this as a commodity that is to be marketed at as high a cost as possible"
KT Ravindran, Urban Planner

For a copy of the DVD, or screening requests, write to:
Krishnendu Bose,
Earthcare Productions,
B-91, Defence Colony, New Delhi, India.
Off: +91-11-24334171, 24332005.
Fax: +91-11-24334068. E-mail: earthcare1@vsnl.com