Green Your Neighbourhood (GYN) is a voluntary citizen group. It is an idea that unifies groups and yet allows room for independent plans to be executed. It brought together plant lovers, floriculture groups, environment champions and AOAs to undertake plantation drives.
The GYN idea of residents taking ownership of plants led to residents planting trees close to their homes and pledging to nurture these plants. Multiple ideas, varied groups, common planning, decentralized execution and yet, environmental interests prevailed!
Common areas were identified, including the eight kilometres long median. Discussion with FMG revealed that since services go under the medians, small root ball trees could be planted. Kachnar, Molshree, Tecoma Desi etc. were identified.
Col. JML Kapoor led the sapling requirements for the medians in front of ITKT. ITKT residents contributed generously to procure the saplings and planted them too. The medians in front of PCPH were planted with saplings collected from the Forest Department Nursery (FDN) in Surajpur. PCPH and Augusta Town Homes residents undertook this plantation. Both these groups planted 2.3 kilometres.
The Drive was heralded with Dhol beats and dancing by the residents who first gathered near the sports field. A cheerful start at 7 AM on Sunday, 14 July! The volunteers then dispersed to their median stretches. The Tree Plantation Drive enthused all age groups. Senior citizens and parents sensitised the youngsters to nature.
The PCPH AOA arranged 250 saplings which were planted by residents and GYN volunteers on Sunday, 21 July.
Native trees like Acacia, Amla, Jamun, Palash etc were identified for the green belts in Wishtown and inside the golf course. GYN volunteers, along with the golf course staff, planted 115 trees inside the golf course.
SK Maheshwari undertook a Plantation Drive, with support from plant lovers, along the parks and jogging track. He planted fruit trees saplings of Amla and Guava, obtained from FDN, in the green belts.
Prometheus School too came forward to participate in the Drive. It took up close to two kilometres of medians. Mukesh Sharma, the school Chairman, arranged 400 saplings. Students, staff and parents undertook the plantation along with GYN volunteers.
It was inspiring to see little school children – inheritors of the earth – being involved in the Tree Plantation Drive. In July alone, Wishtown has planted close to 3000 tree saplings, excluding hedges, shrubs and flowering plants.
