Katherine Rusell Rich, Ardeshir Cowasjee

This is part one of a dialogue between Christine Kenneally, author of The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language, and Katherine Russell Rich, author of Dreaming in Hindi: Coming Awake in Another Language.

Part 2 response from Katherine Russell Rich.
Part 3 response from Christine Kenneally
Part 4 response from Katherine Russell Rich


PANI (People & Nature Initiative) proposes to develop 118 acres of mangrove area along the Mai Kolachi Causeway as the Kolachi Wetland Reserve, within which Chandni Park, on 12 acres, would be an eco-friendly wetland park, accessible to the public. Using low-tech, low-cost technology essentially based on large septic-tanks and aeration channels/lakes, it is estimated that in the first phase 30 mgd of sewage of the inflow from nullahs and katchi abadis into Clifton Boat Basin/Chinna Creek will be treated at a capital cost of around Rs0.8bn (about 10 per cent of the cost of a conventional sewage-treatment plant). Additional features visualised include eco-tourism, bird sanctuaries, community playgrounds,17.5 million kg/month of organic fertiliser, 30 mgd of treated water for agriculture/ horticulture, mangrove honey-farming, recreational fishing/boating and so forth. This initiative of sound environmental practice and sustainable development, seeking to provide equally for the varied and conflicting factors of conservation, tourism, education and recreation is a model to be replicated at the national level. Ardeshir Cowasjee