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Environment

MCC deepens borewells to keep its parks green

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Deccan Herald               24.05.2013

MCC deepens borewells to keep its parks green

Inadequate water at the source due to the prevalent drought, is not only affecting drinking water supply, but also the maintenance of parks in the city. As a result, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has been further deepening the borewells to meet the requirement of water.

Maintenance of parks affected due to depleting water table

MCC has been re-drilling the existing points in around 20 parks by 20 ft to 40 ft. When the cry for water began in the month of January, the parks also witnessed depletion in water table. It became inevitable for further deepening as maintenance of parks without water even for a day became increasingly difficult.

According to MCC officials, barring urban forestry (parks having huge trees) where watering will be taken up twice or thrice a week, in cases of parks with ornamental plants, lawns, mounts and gardens, watering is a must everyday.

The city corporation has under its jurisdiction 388 parks, with 153 fully developed and 235 awaiting development works. In the case of developed parks, borewell is the source of water at 120 parks.  At the remaining parks, existing drinking water pipes are linked to supply water.

Besides, services of the tankers of Vani Vilas Water Works (VVWW) water supply wing of the city corporation are utilised.

Priority

Works have been taken up on priority at Kantharaja Park at ward 40 and Kempucheluvajammanni Layout popularly known as K C Layout on Chamundi Hill road, which have been facing acute shortage of water with decreasing underground water level.

Kuppanna Park on Nazarbad road near Hardinge circle spread over 17 acres is the biggest among  the MCC owned parks, followed by Curzon Park-II (Vishnuvardhan Park) and III- Dr Rajkumar Park also located in the heart of the city, calling for upkeep of the same at any cost.

In the recent budget of 2013-14, the city corporation has earmarked Rs seven crore for development of parks and lawns in the city.

 

Urban pond rejuvenation tastes success

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The New Indian Express                24.05.2013

Urban pond rejuvenation tastes success

Mangannoorkonam pond, Pattom, where restoration work is in full swing and the residents hope to complete it in a week | EPS
Mangannoorkonam pond, Pattom, where restoration work is in full swing and the residents hope to complete it in a week | EPS

Seeing the positive response to its pilot Urban Biodiversity Enhancement Programme, under which polluted urban ponds are being given a fresh lease of life through people’s participation, the Kerala State Biodiversity Board (KSSB) will soon expand it to more ponds in the city.

 As part of the pilot project of this programme, as Express reported last month, four ponds in the city had been selected and turned over to the respective residents’ associations for their cleaning and restoration. Further, these ponds would be made “urban biodiversity centres” by planting medicinal plants and trees around them.

 “Once the work is completed on these ponds, we will begin on three more we have identified,” said KSBB Chairman Oommen V Oommen, speaking to Express on the sidelines of the World Biodiversity Day observance here on Wednesday. “We have already got applications for about five more ponds.”

 The work on the four pilot ponds - Mangannoorkonam pond, Pattom; Thoppilkulam, Paruthippara; Chaliara pond, Poojappura and NCC pond at Nalanchira - was to be completed by the World Biodiversity Day but work on two of them have exceeded the deadline.

 The Srinagar Residents’ Association of Thoppilkulam, Paruthippara, are seeking extra funds for the final works as the Rs 1.5 lakh sanctioned by the KSBB got used up in rebuilding the boundary wall that got damaged during the cleaning.

 “We have been advised to use biofencing with ‘kaitha’ (screw pine) and ‘ramacham’ for two of the sides,” said R Harikumar, a residents’ association committee member. “We hope to finish the work in the next ten days.”

 Similarly, the Mangannoorkonam pond, Pattom, also has about a week’s work left. Here, it is the residents themselves who have been doing most of the painting and cleaning work.

“We have also planted 17 native medicinal and fruit species, including ‘rudrasham’, ‘asokam’, mango and several species of ‘jamba,’” said S B Krishnakumar, secretary of Pattom Mangannoorkonam Residents’ Association.

 On the other hand, residents of Tilak Nagar, Nalanchira, who live near the roughly 50 cent NCC pond, have been able to stick to the deadline of May 22.

 “We didn’t have any major construction work as the boundary wall had been built a couple of years ago by the Corporation,” said Gopindran Nair, secretary of the association. “We have planted around 160 species of medicinal and flowering plants around the pond.”

 

14 biodiversity parks for city

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The Hindu                23.05.2013

14 biodiversity parks for city

Staff Reporter

The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is planning to convert 14 parks into biodiversity parks as part of its contribution for maintaining biodiversity in the area.

The civic body intends to put the native species of plants in these parks and develop them without disturbing the natural landscape.

This apart, solar lighting would be used to illuminate the premises, said GHMC Commissioner M. T. Krishna Babu on Wednesday, at the International Biodiversity Day celebrations at the Imliban Park.

Rs. 25 crore allocation

GHMC enhanced the financial and human resource allocation to the sector with Rs. 25 crore allotted for the biodiversity wing to take up many initiatives.

The city’s biodiversity score improved from 39 points in October last during the COP-11 to about 59 points now, he said.

He pointed out that Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and Governor E. S. L. Narasimhan have set a target of 65 points for the next COP-12 scheduled to be held in South Korea in 2014 and expressed confidence in reaching it.

Mayor Mohd. Majid Hussain said the GHMC was striving hard to create awareness about biodiversity and was also coordinating with school managements for active participation of the students towards ensuring sustainable environment. Students were also permitted free into parks.

A pamphlet ‘Biodiversity and Our City’ and a book ‘Check list of Species’ was released on the occasion.

Pledge

Later the Mayor administered a pledge to the children. A painting competition was organised for children at the venue and winners were given prizes by the dignitaries.

Additional Commissioner (Urban Biodiversity) N. Chandra Mohan Reddy, Zonal Commissioner (South) N. Ravi Kiran and other officials were present on the occasion.

GHMC to put native species of plants in these parks and develop them without disturbing the natural landscape.

Last Updated on Thursday, 23 May 2013 05:51
 


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