NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) is set to organise a series of nature-oriented events along the Yamuna floodplains from February 19 to March 6 under Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to commemorate 75 years of India’s independence.
As per officials, the events will involve citizens of all age-groups, with the intent to connect them to the river and spread awareness of its significance. Once the lifeline of the city, the Yamuna over the years has been neglected due to careless anthropogenic activities and urbanisation. In order to revive its past glory, the DDA has been working on the restoration and rejuvenation of the floodplains of the Yamuna, said officials.
“The scheme focuses on bringing back the river to its pristine state and reviving the connection of the river with its people,” said a senior official. DDA, under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, as a part of ‘Smart Cities, Smart Urbanization’ is celebrating this through a series of events, based on the theme of ‘Rejuvenation of River Yamuna floodplains’.
The inaugural event, Azaadi Darshan, a sand art workshop will be organised on February 19 at Kalindi Aviral, one of the DDA’s Yamuna projects near DND Flyway. Renowned sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo will lead the event, and engage school children. Another event in the series, said officials, is a nature walk on February 20 at Yamuna Biodiversity Park (Phase-2).
“This is part of active floodplains of river Yamuna and consists of mosaic of wetlands together with the grasslands and floodplain forest communities where DDA plans to spot the flora of the floodplains and birds with the taxonomists and ornithologists from Delhi Bird Foundation.
These are a group of birders that explore open spaces in the city to identify and spot native and migratory birds in collaboration with other leading organisations and local communities,” the DDA official further added. Experts say that historically, the city of Delhi has grown between the river Yamuna and the Ridge, the last traces of the Aravali ranges.