Towards assessing carrying capacity: a participatory endeavour

Against a backdrop of deforestation, open cast mining, unauthorised real estate development, the mushrooming hotel trade, increasing traffic congestion and pollution for India's hill resorts, in 1997, attempts were made to assess the 'carrying capacity' of Mussoorie. In a situation where the relationship between the local populace and the planning authorities was tinged with suspicion and mistrust, it was felt that a purely technical approach would not suffice. To create a receptive atmosphere, one more conducive to the sustainability of development, it was thought essential to involve the community from the very beginning. This article explores how carrying capacity was estimated in terms of people's perceptions of the problems afflicting their city, their prioritisation of what needed to be redressed, and what they saw as possible solutions.