“THE UNEASE DISCONNECT

Waste, infrastructure and eco-anxiety on the edge of an expanding city

- AKRITI ASHESH

Some worries do not come from distant headlines but from what one sees every day. Mine stems from the gap between rising aspirations, particularly in communities on the edge of an expanding city, and the inability of systems and government machinery to meet basic needs efficiently. Where this gap widens, settlements acquire a hybrid character, blending rural and urban traits. Without adequate infrastructure or planning, however, such places risk sliding into slum-like conditions. That is precisely what I am witnessing at Panchanpur, a small village on the outskirts of Bihar's Gaya district, where I have lived for the past four years. About 3 km from my university, where I am pursuing doctoral studies, Panchanpur has been undergoing rapid urbanisation, driven largely by infrastructure projects. Its proximity to Gaya, an important education hub in the state, has spurred construction linked to institutions and residential facilities. New shops