Planning green spaces in poverty line areas: Shadab colony, Noorpura and Chak No.7 case study [Pakistan]

Green spaces play imperative role in the provision of duality air for breathing and other biological activities, provide key input towards employment, recreation and beneficial for personal psychology and shaping behavior. The study highlights beneficial impacts of providing access to an environmentally good space in urban slum areas by considering public perception and need of areas. The results of survey indicates that only 18 percent of the respondents have the facility of small garden attached to their homes for keeping indoor environment clean and pollution free and to maintain ecological balance within their homes. Reason is lack of sufficient resources and relatively small houses where people cannot afford to block space for gardens. In addition to soil salinity and other physical and chemical soil problems. The benefits ascribed with green spaces are calculated 46.58 percent reported that enjoying fresh air is most common desire while visiting open spaces and only 15.47 percent people consider fresh air contribution useful for human well being and in curing diseases related to stomach, ENT and heart along with providing sufficient oxygen for breathing and other metabolic activities. Adult age groups are enjoying jogging and exercise facilities. It was noticed that 43.69 percent enjoyed nature while visiting open spaces and 20.38 percent considered it more refreshing and a catalyst for enhancing their efficiency. Along with all other benefits green places were also important for relieving tension and frustration by discussing diplomatic issues. About 30 percent respondents were enjoying the socialization through parks. Enjoying softness of the green grasses was the top priority of the senior citizens and 8.67 percent women from different age groups thinks that green spaces in the immediate surroundings improves socialization. Study on community participation towards the development and planning of the gree n spaces shows that only 42.73 percent were willing for cash contribution according to the decision taken by different working local organizations while very low percentage agreed on monthly contribution for the maintenance of the parks. The respondents who could perform simple physical work for the maintenance and development of the green spaces were only 22.22 percent. Only 13.67 percent were agreed for providing sufficient space for general meeting and to discuss the issues related to parks. The business community belongs to shopkeepers and venders showed their desire for supervision of the developmental work. The percentage of this community was about 22 percent. 53 percent respondents of different age groups showed their interest for the supervision of developmental work. 45 percent respondents were agreed on the formula of cost sharing from both genders groups but they showed their concern regarding the efficient use of financial resources. 27.33 percent respondents pre f erred the annuals 23.33 percent preferred evergreen plants of different colors and sizes. About 21.33 percent preferred shrubs in landscape as compared to creepers, which was liked by 8.6 percent respondents. Scarcity of water and absence of gardener were reported as the biggest problems in the developed gardens of the Shadab Colony. Similar issues were noted in Noor Pura and Chak No-7. Parks development work was most successful in Shadab Colony where almost all allotted plots for parks were developed although maintenance conditions are very poor. Marshes and stagnant water were very common before the interventions of FAUP. FAUP team assisted communities of Shadab Colony technically, socially, morally and economically for the development of green spaces. The efforts were very successful due to active participation of the local people.