Auroville - Sustainability experiments in a nutshell

 

Auroville - Sustainability experiments in a nutshell

Introduction: Auroville is a universal township very close to Pondicherry and it has been envisioned to have population from the entire world. They are to live together and strive for sadhana of controlling nature internal and external while also practicing towards the ideal of human unity. The Mother, Mirra Alfassa, brought this vision of Mahayogi Sri Aurobindo to the material plane. This concept of Auroville - an ideal township devoted to an experiment in human unity - came to the Mother as early as the 1930s. In the mid-1960s the concept was developed and put before the Govt. of India, who gave their backing and took it to the General Assembly of UNESCO. In 1964 it was finally decided to build this city. In 1966 UNESCO passed a unanimous resolution commending it as ‘a project of importance for the future of humanity, thereby giving their full encouragement. On 28 February 1968 they drew up a charter for the city, Auroville, meaning City of the Dawn (derived from the French word aurore), a model universal township where one of the aims would be to bring about human unity.’

Sustainability helps its main objective of next future and human unity: Auroville has so far some major accomplishments in sustainability that have been trendsetters, and it is seen that this sustainability experiments have helped its main objective of unity of humanity and spirituality in practice.  It is seen now as a proof that whenever we are solving a problem which may be environmental, financial, social, or psychological, the approach must be integral and holistic and must have a multi- dimensional scope. The ecological aspect, the social aspect, is stressed out and seems to be the beginning of any solution. After all, social means human and humans are the ones who create and destroy.

Land & water : 1) Check dams in utility canyon- The size and spacing of the dams depends on the "drop" of the canyon and how much water has to be held. As the flow of water is stemmed, the topsoil carried by the water builds up behind each check dam and becomes a fertile seedbed for nature to sow in and regenerate. 2) waste water recycling- The Auroville community has been experimenting with small scale wastewater recycling systems for over fifteen years. During that time pilot systems were built, experience was gathered, and the operating skills with such plants improved. 3) decentralised waste water treatment 4) water harvest centre for water management 5) Water Harvest. It collects and processes a wide range of data pertaining to ground and surface water in order to gain a full understanding of the area.

Forest, Vegetation & Bio diversity: The natural regeneration of vegetation is a dynamic process by which life recolonises land when the vegetation has been partially or totally destroyed. Life recovers the lost ground through the mechanism of the succession of species. The Forest Group brings together those actively involved in forest work in and around Auroville. Its primary goals include planting and maintaining Auroville’s forested areas, restoring and upholding biodiversity, conserving soil and water, and taking a lead in environmental education and innovation. The settlement 'Aranya' (Sanskrit for 'Forest', often referred to as 'Aranyala', sanctuary), is located to the north-east of Ousteri Lake, west of Auroville. It spreads over 40 hectares and is a significant sector of the Auroville Green Belt. Aranya Forest & Sanctuary is a home to many rare and endangered plant species. The land that is now Hermitage was one of the first plots acquired for Auroville. Primarily canyon land, its starkly beautiful landscape is now home to a rich variety of wildlife.                                                                                                               Ecological land use and rural development : The ‘Palmyra Centre for Ecological Land Use and Rural Development’, located in Aurobrindavan, oversees a Rural Development Project funded by the DIK/OIK, Germany, which includes improvement in the standard of education for school children, physical education programmes, and the support of sports and health care activities. Another 5-year project, on integrated wasteland development, is being funded by the Ministry of Rural Development in 21 villages in the Vanur & Marakkanam areas.

Training farmers and making green belts  : The Palmyra Training Centre is conducting training programmes for farmers, NGOs and government officers, as well as regular training programmes for Forestry Service officers from all over India, funded by the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests. Today Palmyra houses a large tree nursery, a modest computer centre, and a unit for video editing in support of its work.  Pitchandikulam Forest is an environmental organisation and community based in the green belt of Auroville in coastal Tamil Nadu.

Restoration of degraded landscapes : Sadhana Forest did successful reforestation of 70 acres of degraded landscape. The Success Wildlife Forest Sanctuary is a beautiful and unique tropical forest preserve in the southern part of the Auroville Green Belt. The area contains hundreds of indigenous plants, trees, animals, and birds, including endangered species such as the Great Horned Owl, Monitor Lizard, Indian Fox, Painted Bat, Civet Cat, Porcupine, and Jackals.

Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) in the Residential Zone (RZ) has been completed in 2019, and is currently returning treated water to eight communities for use in their gardens. Water that is not used is being captured in four tanks of 50 cubic metres, located in Mahalakshmi Park and now complete. 

Solid waste management: Auroville's EcoService manages solid waste for the international township of Auroville. An EcoService team collects waste from households, communities, guest houses, restaurants and units, and another team processes it at a sorting shed in Kottakarai. Waste is then either sold to recycling dealers, or landfilled at the Auroville landfill.

Experimenting with Energyscapes: Growing up with Solar and Wind in Auroville Auroville Centre for Scientific Research (CSR) is an international voluntary organisation working towards a sustainable future in the field of renewable energy systems (wind, solar, biomass), appropriate architecture & building technologies, waste water recycling and sanitation, and the transfer of these technologies through training programmes.

Research and development activities : Renewable energy systems (wind, solar, biomass), Appropriate architecture & building technologies (ferrocement and construction), Waste water recycling and sanitation. Transfer of technologies: Training programmes, workshops and seminars. Dissemination of information via seminars, workshops and publications.

Low cost housing : much is already said and replicated about the ecological housing experiments of Auroville including the inspiring works of Lauri Baker

Organic agriculture, food courts with resorts for experiencing the dining, stay and ecological living: Verite is well known for this experience. There are some others also.

Concluding remarks: Auroville is a place one must visit, One goes through that large spaces of natural forest with its bewildering and almost naturally chaotic diversity which gives a  feeling of rootedness. It is only intervened by human hands and brains and creative spirits wherever needed and this generates vibrations of something genuine and experimental will catch anyone’s heart and mind.

Complied from https://auroville.org/ and other online research articles by Dr Narendra Joshi