THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELHI
Lt. Governor of Delhi, Shri VK Saxena today visited the Yamuna Biodiversity Park developed by the DDA and celebrated the World Environment Day along with students of Delhi University. He was accompanied by the Chief Secretary, VC, DDA, Prof. C.R. Babu, a pioneer in ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems and a noted environmentalist, Dr. Faiyaz A Khudsar, Scientist in Charge of the Park and other senior officers. He also visited a STP in Nehru Park in Chanakyapuri and a Rain Water Harvesting site in the NDMC area.
The Lt. Governor walked along the trail passing through various functional eco systems created and nurtured in the park and took keen interest in the existing flora and fauna. He visited the medicinal garden, herbal park, butterfly park and the wet lands and water bodies developed in the park.
While appreciating the dedicated efforts of the Scientists, Officers and their team for having relivened the heritage of River Yamuna and creating an exemplary model of Urban Forestry in the midst of Concrete jungles, the LG emphasized that the time had come to take the Yamuna Bio Diversity Park, as indeed the other parks being developed in Delhi to the next level by innovating, upscaling and reinventing.
Surprising the scientists and botanists present their with his deep knowledge of plants and paleontology, Shri Saxena suggested that the park undertakes plantation of Sandal Wood and Moringa trees apart from Bamboo. This he said, will not only increase the Oxygenating capacity of the park but will also add to its financial viability, making it sustainable in the long run.
The LG also emphasized upon the need to explore the possibility of using the water conserved and recharged by the parks for augmenting the supply to the City with the aim of making Delhi self sufficient.
The Lt Governor started his address to the students by reading out a couplet,
"रोज गिराते हैं पत्ते मेरे।
फिर भी हवाओं से बदलते नहीं रिश्ते मेरे।।" (Roz giraate hain pattay merey, phir bhi hawaon se badaltey nahin rishtey merey)
Attributing this as a statement from a tree that suffers all kinds of violence from man kind and nature, and yet continues to provide fruits, food, shade, wood and life supporting Oxygen, he urged the young minds to learn from the tree and resolve to respect it. This he said will be the best tribute to the environment, of which a tree was the strongest symbol.
Interacting further with the First and Second year students of Botany, Zoology and Life Sciences from Shiva Ji College of Delhi University, the LG recalled his planting special varities of bamboo from Assam along the landscape of Narmada Canal in Gujarat and arid zone near Udaipur in Rajasthan at the behest of the Prime Minister. This he narrated as an example of positive attitude and resolve to achieve, to the students.
Shri Saxena underlined that environmental degradation and resultant catastrophic affects are no more topics of academic discourse and seminar discussions- they are there for all of us to see. Climate change, water shortage, chocking pollution, unseemly mounds of garbage, plummeting ground water levels, all of them are there for us to experience first hand as residents of Delhi.
He emphasized that the biggest challenge on the environmental front today is the sustainable and long term management and disposal of solid waste and sewerage. At the same time we have to take urgent steps to reclaim and rebuild what we have already lost in our mindless pursuit of lopsided consumption and development, he said.
To plan for the future and simultaneously rejuvenate what we have lost already was imperative and for this all of us will have to come together and work in a committed and concerted manner, the LG said.
He described ground water recharge through conservation of rain, flood and storm drain water with an aim to make Delhi self- sufficient for its water requirements, as his priority and stressed upon
rejuvenation of Yamuna by ensuring zero untreated sewerage discharge into the river in a time bound manner.
Informing that work in right ernest had already started on clearing the garbage mountains that bring international shame on our National Capital, he expressed the hope that with combined efforts we will soon see not only razing of these legacy mounds but also a functional system in place for recycling and processing the concurrent garbage generated in the City.
He exhorted all concerned Agencies, Departments and Officers to work towards achieving these goals in an effective, time bound and coordinated manner and appealed to the people of Delhi- especially the young minds present on the occasion to come forward and own up the rejuvenation and regeneration of our City as equal participants and stake holders. He lamented that the City belonged to all us and it is we who will shape her future.