Noida: Administration appeals public to plant trees along Hindon
The administration aims to plant total 40,000 trees along Hindon Embankment that falls in Noida and Greater Noida areas.
The Gautam Budh Nagar district administration has appealed the public to participate in tree plantation drive to be carried out along 17 km stretch of Hindon river passing through Noida and Greater Noida.
Aimed at rejuvenating Hindon, the drive will be conducted in ‘Van Mahotsav week’ from August 19 to August 26. The Meerut commissioner Dr Prabhat Kumar has asked district magistrates of seven districts -- through which Hindon river passes -- to conduct plantation drive in the month of August.
Kumar hopes the public participation will save the dying Hindon, which was once a lifeline for Western Uttar Pradesh cities. He has also appealed that residents welfare associations, social groups and individuals should come forward to rejuvenate this dying river. He has started ‘crowd funding’ initiative under which people can donate money for revival of the river, which has lost its aquatic life due to contamination of water.
The administration has opened a bank account (MDA-Nirmal Hindon Kosh A/C No. 50399065176, Allahabad Bank with IFSC-ALLA0212075) where people can donate money to be spent on Hindon rejuvenation plan.
“So far we have collected Rs 7,000. But we hope that more and more people will come forward to participate in this noble cause and Hindon rejuvenation will become a public initiative. Rejuvenation of Hindon is crucial because it has started polluting aquifer,” said Kumar.
The administration aims to plant total 40,000 trees along Hindon Embankment that falls in Noida and Greater Noida areas.
The Hindon originates from Barsani Falls at Shivalika Hills in Saharanpur and confluences with the Yamuna near Momnathal in Sector 151, Noida. In its journey to reach Momnathal, the river passes through Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Baghpat, Shamli, Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad. In January 2016, the Central Pollution Control Board in its report said the Hindon water does not meet the prescribed standard of primary water quality for bathing, as per the norms laid down in environment (protection) 1986.
“We will take steps for revival one by one. To begin with, we aim to plant 3 lakh trees along the river in seven districts. Social groups or individuals can do their bit by participating in this noble cause,” said Kumar.
The Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate BN Singh said that he has asked the forest department to make necessary arrangements for the drive.
“It is indeed a noble initiative started by Meerut Commissioner Prabhat Kumar. It should have been started much earlier because this River recharges ground water table in seven districts. We will support the administration in this cause,” said Alok Singh, a member of Active Citizen Team in Greater Noida.