GUL BAHAO GOES INTERNATIONAL! CNN has repeatedly shown Gul Bahaos research Center (in the current month) and it can be seen on its website here. The center is planning to convert into an Environment museum close to the World Environment Day i.e the 5 th of June. The Museum will exhibit recycled products with a clear cut use as well as commercial value.
According to its spokesman Mohammad Hannan the objective behind this project is to recycle organic waste which in a city like Karachi accounts for 50% of its total waste. The gardens in the air present a rare spectacle. They are basically two wooden scaffolding carrying a wide assortment of plants, flowering plants, onions, spinach etc.
When the camera man wanted to film the plants they were brought down by means of a huge nailed bamboo sticks. On close quarters it was found that the plants instead of pots had plastic bags as containers. The plastic bags were attached to the scaffolding by means of an intricate use of rope knotting.
Further elaborating Mohammad Hannan the spokesman explained that the “Gardens in the Air” is in line with Gul Bahao’s philosophy of “Forging a nexus between environment and economy” and that these plants at some stage will be grown for the market. Pointing to Gul Bahao’s manifesto he said the “City Farm” was visualized years ago, At this point Gul Bahao’s Nargis Latif told the television crew that her organization had been working on industrial waste especially plastic waste for a long time but organic waste was neglected for a long time.
Further elaborating Mohammad Hannan said that organic waste has been collected from road sites, garbage dumps ,cattle farms and mixed up in a small land fill at Gul Bahao’s research centre in Gul shan-e-Iqbal. There it is converted into organic fertilizer which is put into polythene bags into which plants are grown. These plants are then put up on the scaffolds giving the impression of multitier fields similar to multistoried houses.
However since the last one year or so her organization has restarted research work on organic waste once again. Pointing to the 5×5 by 30 ft high scaffolding she asked the television crew can you imagine growing 50 different kinds of full grown plants in such a small area and that to along the main road of one of the biggest metropolises of the world She shocked the anchor person by predicting that “By the grace of God we will soon be having wheat and barley growing in the skies of Karachi.”
Third World Solutions to First World Problems
Help Gul Bahao’s “ENVIRONMENT MUSEUM” located in GULSHAN-E-IQBAL KARACHI
Showcasing Gul Bahao’s innovations developed during the last 19 years at a cost of more than 8 crore Rupees on a self help basis!
Chandi Ghar blocks : modular blocks which convert into 2 storey houses, household hold furniture (beds, sofas) water reservoirs etc.
Gardens In the Air: Converting organic waste into useful vegetation which are multitiered akin to multistoreyed houses
Kindly put your valuable 1,000 ( one thousand ) Rupees in First Women Bank, Gul Bahao account no 0007001857810001 or Allied Bank, Nargis Latif acc. no.0010032750390011( 0159 branch code )
Yesterday, Gul Bahao’s, Nargis latif addressed the students of the Fast University at their Karachi campus where its Head Dr. Manzoor Anwer Khalidi introduced her to the students. Nargis disclosed that her organization is in the process of putting up an Environment Museum at its site in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. The museum will be open to students and municipal authorities and will show case the different innovations of Gul Bahao.
Nargis said that the last nineteen years of Gul Bahaos existence have been highly eventful with the number of innovations growing manifold. These have in fact been ingenious solutions to the different environmental problems being faced by Karachi but in fact have resulted in bringing in new ideas ,cheaper products to change the economy of the country, she said.
Reporting the latest developments in Gul Bahao’s activities Nargis revealed that its research centre is converting clean plastic waste produced by factories into multipurpose chandi blocks. These in turn are being made into furniture, houses, swimming pools and now even a thick tarpaulin i.e. a good alternative to thin plastic sheets used for covering goods. Speaking excitedly, she went on “The blocks are modular; one item changes into another without any kind of destruction. In other words a Chandi Ghar can be converted into a swimming pool and vice versa. She revealed that her research centre is working on different kinds of moulds, yielding different kinds of products.
According to the Gul Bahao’s Head, the organization from time to time has been acknowledged/ visited by international organizations like the UNDP, ILO, German government, Clinton Foundation; multinationals like ICI, Lasmo Oils (it was funded by it for several years). It has been covered by Courier International (French newspaper), Voice of America, and BBC. She said recently CNN requested to do a detailed coverage of Gul Bahaos projects. She said the fact is that the fruits of Gulbahos work is not only for local consumption but also has international bearings.
Nargis said that Gul Bahao is looking for sponsors for its ambitious project of putting “Gardens in the air” which will be using organic waste and shoppers to grow multi storied plantations in the manner of high rise buildings. The thinking behind this is that land being unbearably expensive, horticulture (an excellent way of recycling organic waste) must also go highrise in any thickly populated metropolis like Karachi.
The students were keen to know details of the Safai/Kamai bank claimed to be a futuristic banking system by Gul Bahao. Nargis exhorted the students to do their theses on this subject which she said had won students of the IOBM accolades from LUMS.
Nargis concluded by saying that progress in the industrial world has not only thrown up new goods totally unknown hitherto but its waste too has given rise to new challenges and exciting propensities as well/
After a resounding applause from the students, the head of the FAST University Dr Manzoor Akhter presented a memo to the CEO of Gul Bahao.