As Guwahati's greenery shrinks, citizens push back with green home oases

Guwahati, May 13: There was once a sprawling jamun tree in the Guwahati Club area. In summer, maroon splotches from squished ripe jamuns would stain the pavement, underfoot and unmistakable. Zoo Road, too, had its markers—trees planted every 50 metres, a natural sign that the Assam State Zoo was nearby.

Guwahati, which once boasted over 1,020 hectares of green cover, is now ringed by constructions and flyovers at nearly every turn. Where people once stood beneath trees for shade, they now huddle under concrete flyovers.

The transformation has been slow but relentless. In almost every locality, something is under construction. Shops hang plastic curtains to shield themselves from the ever-present dust. For many residents, the city no longer feels like the Guwahati they once knew—it resembles the blueprint of another metro.

Homemade compost used for growing flowers in Namita Kalita's Kamakhya Gate residence.

“When we were in school, summers were warm and breezy. It was hot, but we could still play outside because there were trees. Now, it’s just hot and stagnant. It doesn’t even feel like Guwahati anymore. I moved to Hyderabad for college last year, and when I come back, it feels like they’re just trying to copy the big cities,” recalls Esha Barman, a resident of Uzan Bazar.

Some argue this is progress. But Guwahati’s charm has always lain in its authenticity. The Uzan Bazar riverside, once the go-to spot for fresh fish—a staple in Assamese households—was a quiet, walkable, tree-lined stretch. Today, the trees are gone, and the air hangs heavy with construction dust.

Denizens chip in

As Guwahati’s green cover continues to shrink, some citizens are taking matters into their own hands, creating eco-friendly spaces within their homes.

From carefully tended front-yard plants to rooftop gardens and backyard nurseries, residents are doing their best to preserve whatever greenery they can. While these efforts may not replace the thousands of lost trees, as the saying goes—every drop counts.

Terrace gardening has become increasingly popular in Guwahati. This method of growing plants on rooftops is ideal for both edible and ornamental gardening. Many residents collect seeds during trips to their villages or exchange them with friends and family.

Vegetables grown in Namita Kalita's terrace garden using homemade compost.

“Sometimes we buy seedlings or seed packets, but mostly we collect them from a relative’s garden or from our village. We simply go looking for seedlings or the potato of a plant,” says Pranita Bhuyan, a gardener from Bhangagarh.

Beyond plant cultivation, sustainable gardening practices are on the rise. Composting kitchen waste and harvesting rainwater have become common routines. Given Guwahati’s ongoing water shortage, these practices are not only eco-friendly but essential.

“We have an extra tank that stores rainwater during the monsoon, and we place buckets under our water tank to catch any overflow. We also collect kitchen waste throughout the week to make compost,” shares Namita Kalita of Kamakhya Gate, Durgasarobar.

For those living in apartment buildings without access to rooftops or yards, balcony and windowsill gardening have become valuable outlets for staying connected with nature.

A sustainable gardening practice using thermocol boxes adapted by Pranita Bhuyan, a resident of Bhangagarh.

“I’ve been gardening on my balcony for 4-5 years now. Both my husband and I work, so having the garden right here makes it convenient. Just yesterday, we harvested some bird’s eye chillies—it’s so rewarding. These plants are like my children,” says Spandana Das, a resident of GS Road.

Though modest in scale, these personal efforts reflect a larger movement toward sustainability. Alongside home gardening, environmental activism is gaining ground in the city. Residents recently banded together to prevent tree-cutting at Dighalipukhuri—a small but significant victory.

The loss of green spaces may seem inevitable in a rapidly growing city like Guwahati, but these stories serve as a reminder that residents are still determined to preserve the city’s green soul.

By Nikita Naina Kalita