Interview with Colonel V K Bhatt, commanding officer, 102 Engineer Regiment, which is planning to convert the 3,700-acre land inside the CME into an ecological forest which will function as the lungs for the industrial area of MIDC, Pimpri and Chinchwad.What is your afforestation plan?
Three years ago, in association with the Agharkar Research Institute, we planted 975 harara, amla and other chyawanprash trees. The institute's aim was to experiment on the success of the plants and ours was the greening of the campus. The plantation drive has been supplemented with 10,000 teak plants in the lower lake area, of which 1,235 survived. The dead saplings were replaced with jamun and imli trees. We are planning to create a green cover for the city, something that is badly needed in the surrounding industrial area. We need funds to the tune of Rs 40 lakh for civil works and contruction. If we get this in March, the plants will be ready by May and forestation should start by the comingmonsoons.
Where are funds being organised from?
...through the Army Headquarters to the Ministry of Finance and the Board for Wasteland Development. However, we would also be willing to accept help from industrial houses in the city, they will be allowed to put up their boards in the developed area funded by them.
What about the plans to have the lake area declared a bird sanctuary?
We have created two artificial lakes in the CME campus which are being visited by 58 varieties of birds, including five new species which were observed this season. It has been visited by the World Wildlife Fund people and will be part of the arboreal culture project. We are waiting for a sanctuary status. There is a plan to plant lilies for light-footed birds like jacana and retain the marshes for herons, spoonbills and others.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
