NOIDA: The Authority is working to revive all existing wetlands and ponds in Noida, under a drive that aims at attaining ecological and economic self-sustainability. To start with, it has chosen a neglected, natural wetland of about 1.8 hectares located in Sector 91.
This wetland will be developed through a neighbourhood community exercise with the help of experts and made ready by July 15. Currently, the area is dumped with construction debris and other municipal waste from neighbouring areas.
“This land in Sector 91, opposite Sector 137 metro station, with several apartments on one side, is partially owned by the UP irrigation department where a bund was built by it during the establishment of Noida, which has no utility currently. Since then, this patch of land has been lying neglected and is frequently encroached upon, leading to disturbance in the flora and fauna of the fragile wetland,” said Rajeev Tyagi, general manager of Noida Authority.
In fact, work has already begun, as the aim is to restore the wetland before the showers come in so that maximum advantage can be achieved to conserve rain water during the monsoon. “For starters, we will remove the waste dumped on the side of the wetland, protect it by fencing the area to prevent illegal entry, especially of domestic cattle and remove unwanted foreign vegetation which has unfortunately come up along with the organic waste dumped along the periphery,” he said.
“Other water plants which would add richness to the wetland vegetation, will be added at a later stage. This will be a citizen awareness and participation exercise and local community will be engaged to restore and protect the wetland. The Authority will not involve contractors for this activity,” Tyagi explained.
The Noida Authority has also decided to generate awareness on the importance of the wetland and the necessity to preserve it for protecting the environment through experts. “We have roped in environmentalists, Ramveer Tanwar and Bhuwan Chopra, who are associated with Yamuna Bio Diversity Park, and Manish Kumar, expert on creating natural self-sustaining water bodies, apart from other nature lovers to restore the wetland. No civil work or structure will be constructed at the site,” he said.
Similar steps will be taken at other wetlands of the city. “We are working in few other areas which we cannot disclose currently due to issues of land title and land use. These are being worked out,” the Noida GM added.
Source : The Times of India