The Hindu 29.12.2010
Adyar Poonga gets finishing touches
| Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville, surveying the variety of vertebrates |
Gearing up:Work on phase-I of Adyar Poonga, set for inauguration on January 3, is in full swing.
CHENNAI: Amid the small patches of grass-covered mounds and lawn, the name Adyar Poonga, carved in a series of seven stones, welcomes visitors. The seemingly open area gives no indication of the sprawling park tucked behind it.
Walkways from the entrance leading to other areas remain unpaved and a bunch of display boards are stacked against a tree. The works to mow the overgrown grass, prune trees and plants, and design the pathways now are in full swing to complete the phase I of Adyar Poonga, which is scheduled to be inaugurated on January 3 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Works to complete the landscaping, bridges, children interactive learning space, and amphitheatre are in progress, according to officials.
“Most of the works are complete and we are giving finishing touches to some areas. It will be completed well before the inauguration,” said a senior officer associated with the project.
To document the increasing number of species being spotted in that area, a team of researchers and ecologists is constantly monitoring the restoration process of the Poonga.
The water quality is being periodically assessed by Anna University, sand quality by Stella Maris College and Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, Auroville, are surveying the number and variety of vertebrates in the park, he added.
Joss Brooks, Chief Architect of Pitchandikulam Forest Consultants, which is the consultant for the project, says the major challenge is to channel the sewage that got into the Poonga. “This is an eco-sensitive area, which can be affected by even the slightest change in the environment. The cooperation from the government was quite encouraging and we managed to tackle the problem,” he said.
Describing it as a classic example of transformation of a waste land into a diverse forest area, Mr. Brooks said Chennai was built on many such wet lands, which are fast getting filled up with concrete structures. The wet lands, he said, should be made into recreational areas, which would increase the lung space of the city. To make sure the natural inhabitants of the land are not disturbed, no exotic plants have been introduced in the park.
Observing that they would maintain the park for two years as part of the contract, he said the park would require minimum maintenance as the idea was not to beautify the place but to enrich the bio-diversity. “We have also proposed to set up a training institute in the park, which would train people on restoration ecology. It is a step to create a broader awareness about the need to maintain such eco-sensitive places.”
Foundation would be laid for the phase-II of the project, which would extend up to Santhome Causeway, at the inauguration of the phase-I.
