Biodiversity body plans to park native flora,fauna at four new spots

Lieutenant Governor Tejendra Khanna is learnt to be keen on

the project.

According to officials,the sites (see box) were chosen with an eye to enrich Delhi Ridge and give a boost to the Yamuna riverfront. With the plan ready on paper,the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is now looking at formalities of land acquisition,officials say.

“Tilpath Valley is the deepest and most degraded valley in Delhi and has been run down by mining,” C R Babu,DBF member and in charge of the two existing biodiversity parks,says. “The plan is to revive it with native Aravalli vegetation. If all goes well,work will start by monsoon.”

As part of the Ridge revival plan,Neela Hauz,an area that also has an ancient lake,will be revitalised and eventually merged with Sanjay Van. As reported in Newsline,the Neela Hauz lake is in danger of shrinking due to an ongoing bridge project over it. Special attention would be focussed on a designated part of the Northern Ridge,Babu says,adding that the area falls in reserve forest and will continue to be officially classified as the Ridge.

“The Ridge needs attention. There is an infusion of vilayati kikar there and the creation of the biodiversity parks will be part of a revitalisation,” Babu says. The Delhi government’s Environment Department is conducting a survey of the Delhi Ridge to check damage and encroachment.

“These projects will be taken up very soon. We are in the process of studying land acquisition and other clearances,” DDA spokesperson Neemo Dhar says.

The Yamuna biodiversity park has created its own waterbody and has a native wetland vegetation. This year,the park is set to get an extension and joined with the river. The Aravalli park,meant to be a Commonwealth project,has native Aravalli vegetation (traditionally found in Delhi) that also includes a rainforest,an orchidarium and a butterfly park.

New park sites

* 154-hectare Golden Jubilee Park,behind Rajghat on the riverfront

* Area within Kamala Nehru Ridge in North Delhi

* 5-acre area at Neela Hauz in Vasant Kunj (to be integrated with Sanjay Van)

* Tilpath Valley,Delhi’s deepest valley,near Southern Sainik Farms