INNOVATIONS YOU CAN BENEFIT FROM.

NEERAJ MAHAJAN

Unknown Sparrow


Hi, I am Neeraj Mahajan and I love writing on anything that excites me.  Twelve years ago, post-Lehman Brothers collapse, DLF Ltd. ( Indias biggest RE developer) launched a beautiful Group Housing Capital Greens in the Heart of Delhi. I fell for it and paid immediately by writing a cheque for rupees 500000( five lacs INR ). My recession-scarred psyche jarred me to withdraw from it which I did. But, it could not detach me from the enticing landscaping, lush green layouts, magnificent flora in the project. My heart yearned for it. After some soul searching, I decided to take action. 

Asia's largest surface wastewater drain Najafgarh crisscrosses Delhi and my pricey residence in Ashok Vihar lies right in its front. Ammonia, Carbon, Foul gases emanating from the drain pollutes everything in its vicinity. The drain Blight is pervasive and its socio-economic cost is very difficult to quantify though exorbitant which I will discuss later. The Silverlining is the substantial fallow buffer land lying between me and the drain. The land is free for residents to beautify but at their cost. I took the gamble and fenced a patch of 7500 sq. ft., carpeted it with the grass, and planted numerous native species of trees especially the Bamboos, Pilkhens, the Amaltas, and the Phyguses which are the richest sources of Oxygen. Community participation was Meh and tepid at best. The biggest challenge was a reliable source of water supply. I did some out-of-the-box thinking and extended the domestic submersible waterline supply right up to the green belt. Also made a buffer by requesting a neighbor to replicate it. With the water problem behind me, I aggressively planted grass and hundreds of trees over the area. A caretaker was hired to look after the upkeep. I was living my dream and the area was metamorphosing into a lush green belt. 

Profound Interiority of faith has kept me going even after 12 years. Aside from the lush greenery that was my leitmotif in 2009, multiple orders of events keep surprising me. Air pollution has come down exponentially, Birding has gone up many folds. Every single day I wake up to the sweet sound of chirping birds, Playing with my kid, growing veggies, I walk. Come spring, Its divine to admire the celestial spectacle of creepers Bouganvalia, MadhuMalti adorning the trees with their colorful flowers. The serendipity is never-ending. The most prized inmate is a pair of Peacock and Peahen. The land has acquired a slightly wild look to it that has probably appealed to the latest inmates. Unintentional though, I like this way too as I don't miss Corbett too much as I visit at night or bonfire in winters with family/ friends. What a bonanza to have in your home front in a crazy city of 30 million with exorbitant RE prices.

These are some recent images of the area

 

                                                     Neem, Pilkhan Eucalyptus, Ashokas


                                                              Ashoka, Palms
                                                      Cygus Palm, Pilkhan
                                            Another wild view of the Area


                        
Now about the title of my piece. The effort has transformed the ecosystem of my immediate surroundings. Air Pollution, drain blight in the area have declined considerably. There is a visible difference in air quality as one approaches the lawn. Years of passionate and disciplined effort are visible to all residents and nonresidents. The innovation has borne fruit and the progeny will breathe and live healthily. Though, I lament that all this has failed to inspire scores of denizens who continue to dwell in filth and squalor. When my path crosses their fronts I despise it. They are paying the price of Non-Innovation and they seem quite complacent about it. I feel sorry for them.


Innovation is the mindset to improve oneself, to get better daily. We innovate when we get inspired. But that is rare too. Most waste inspiration and procrastinate. Innovation is outlandish to Homo Sapiens. Only a few heroes dared and changed the narrative of human evolution. Else we would still be foraging for food instead of reading this boring blog   


As always many thanks for reading my piece

Wannabe Stoic



 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What will be Schools like in Post Covid World?

Image
Almost all businesses in India have reopened in the last few months except schools and universities. In the Government circles, the debate has commenced on the new normal as and when the government decides to open up. Will it be the same as it was before Covid struck? Will the online mode of teaching continue?  We do not know the answers to these questions and only time will tell. In the meanwhile, let me enumerate the pros and cons of the present online teaching as observed in the recent past viz: PROs 1. As a parent, I don't have to hustle every morning to reach the school bus stop/van. Neither does the mother or the kid. The perennial morning stress seems an unpleasant distant memory. I dread it shall return soon. 2. In a chaotic city of close to 30 million and more than 10 million motor vehicles, Delhi is infamously unique for its very poor air quality and high decibels of noise pollution. There are lacs of kids and adults who commute daily to their respective schools and colle
Read more

Reflections from Vantage Point in Himalayas.

Image
  NEERAJ MAHAJAN SCOT ADAMS Over this weekend I drove 400 km solo in my 4X4 to a friend's resort located in the quiet and obscure village of Satbonga in Kumaon, Uttarakhand. Reflecting at 7000 ft. in the lap of the Himalayas, affords a vantage point where most of one's problems can be looked down upon. Although the great Ralph Waldo Emerson said, the choice of your place has no bearing on your emotional state, I somehow feel it works for me at least. Most of the noise one is tormented with, in the daily grind of work, is cut off here. One can see more clearly what's going on. I read about the American artist and businessman SCOTT ADAMS after Naval discussed him in his Podcast and was very inspired by his career ideas. He advises combining 2 or three subsets of skills where you are really good at and better than 75% of the people you know. Then, build your career around it. You need not be the best coz that may never happen. Reflect, productize and get traction. Don't gi
Read more

2 Critical Myth Busters for Great Health .

Image
NEERAJ MAHAJAN Over the years a realization has dawned that good health is a prerequisite for all the other good things one aspires in life. Almost all of us are aware of this, but the most important tool to achieve it is dormant in us.  My interaction with peers revealed that many of them do not even know what they don't know . Many have wrong and half-knowledge of how the human body functions. They confuse fitness with good health. They do way too many things to achieve good health which remains elusive. Time to debunk some very potent myths floating all around viz: FITNESS IS NOT HEALTH Most confuse fitness with good health. To illustrate, let's assume over many years Mr. X, 40 yrs. old is a regular jogger/ walker for 4 to 5 km and drinks/ eats all kinds of healthy stuff to optimize his health. He also does some light stretching exercises intermittently. Also wants to keep the body weight in check or maybe shed a few pounds. Apparently, he looks fit and young . And he boasts
Read more