Neela Hauz biodiversity park

Last updated

Neela Hauz biodiversity park
Neela Hauz biodiversity park
TypeNatural Area
Locationalong Aruna Asaf Ali Road, South Central Ridge, Delhi Ridge
Nearest city Hauz Khas, Delhi
Coordinates 28°31′43″N77°10′07″E / 28.5286867°N 77.1686125°E / 28.5286867; 77.1686125
Area3.90 hectares [1]
Created2015 (2015)
Operated by Delhi Development Authority
StatusOpen

Neela Hauz biodiversity park, [2] located on South Central Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range next to Sanjay Van, in Delhi, India, [3] [4] is a 3.90 hectares mini biodiversity and wetland area along Aruna Asaf Ali Road. [5] [1] It lies in the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor.

Contents

History

In 2014, of the 611 water bodies in Delhi, 274 were dead and remaining were in bad shape. Neela Hauz is a freshwater lake which was slowly dying due to the dumping of waste. [6] During ancient times it was the main source of water supply for the Rajput city of Qila Rai Pithora. [6] During ancient times, its basin was recharged by the wider dense forests of Sanjay Van and its overflow drained in to Yamuna. [6]

In 2014, the wetland was covered with water hyacinth and ridge was infested with the invasive species of prosopis juliflora (Vilayati Babul or Kikar of Mexican origin), which were planted in the 1920s by the Britisher colonisers to rehabilitate the wasteland. [7] [6] The silted up lake was encroached upon and raw sewage drained into it, causing concerned citizens to take an order from Delhi High Court to have it restored by the government. [6] After the restoration started in 2015, this biodiversity park was officially inaugurated in November 2016. [6]

Delhi has 7,884 hectares of fragmented forests which are deprived of wild animals due to the unplanned urbanisation. [5] In 2015, Delhi already had Aravalli Biodiversity Park and Yamuna Biodiversity Park. The Delhi Development Authority engaged the scientist of Delhi University to develop four more biodiversity parks in Delhi, including the Northern ridge biodiversity park (Kamla Nehru Ridge), Tilpath valley biodiversity park, Neelahauz biodiversity park and phase-2 of the Yamuna Biodiversity Park. [5]

Restoration

In 2015, the Delhi Development Authority commenced the work to restore this as a biodiversity area. [1] [8] Lake was desilted, its banks landscaped, water supply was restored with the treated water from the Wastewater Treatment Plant, and native species of plants were reintroduced in 10 acres of the land surrounding the lake. [6] To improve the water quality before water enters the lake, the Constructed Wetland System (CWS) consists of zero energy input physical and biological processes, including 2 oxidation points and four filtration ponds/channels. [6] In first step of oxidation the organic sewage material is broken down by the atmospheric oxygen by microbes and in the second stage the aquatic plants treat the water. [6] Four channels have filters, such as pebbles and sand of varying size, to filter the water before it enters the lake. [6] After the CWS was operationalised, it is claimed that the Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) fell from 40 to 4, phosphate 104 to 14, total dissolved solids from 600 to 298 and dissolved oxygen improved from 0 to 3.4. [6]

Independent water testing was carried out by the Delhi Jal Board in June 2019 as part of the investigation carried out by the Ground Water Monitoring Committee appointed by the NGT. It was found that the treated effluent did not meet permissible standards. [9] Prof. C.R. Babu was to improve the parameters of the effluent but up to November 2019 no published action has been taken.

Several ridges of Delhi are being restored to revive the native species including leopard, Indian rock python, jackals, neelgai, mongooses, porcupines, small Indian civet, gecko, Sirkeer malkoha cuckoo, nightjar, Indian paradise flycatcher. [7] [10]

Flora

15,000 native plants and shrubs of 75 species from 6 bio communities were planted in 2015–16. Slopes were stabilised by planting the grasses, such as chrysopogon, heteropogon and cenchrus ciliaris. Wetland has restocked with the phytoplankton, zooplankton, free floating and rooted aquatic plants. [6]

Fauna

By 2016, the lake was home to over 70 bird species, including migratory birds. [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aravalli Range</span> Mountain range in western India

The Aravalli Range is a mountain range in Northern-Western India, running approximately 670 km (420 mi) in a south-west direction, starting near Delhi, passing through southern Haryana, Rajasthan, and ending in Ahmedabad Gujarat. The highest peak is Guru Shikhar on Mount Abu at 1,722 m (5,650 ft). The Aravalli Range is arguably the oldest geological feature on Earth, having its origin in the Proterozoic era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hauz Khas Complex</span> Site in Delhi, India

Hauz Khas Complex in Hauz Khas, South Delhi houses a water tank, an Islamic seminary, a mosque, a tomb and pavilions built around an urbanized village with medieval history traced to the 13th century of Delhi Sultanate reign. It was part of Siri, the second medieval city of India of the Delhi Sultanate of Alauddin Khalji Dynasty (1296–1316). The etymology of the name Hauz Khas in Persian is derived from the words ‘Hauz’: "water tank" and ‘Khas’:"royal"- the "Royal tank". The large water tank or reservoir was first built by Allauddin Khilji to supply water to the inhabitants of Siri. The tank was de–silted during the reign of Firuz Shah Tughlaq (1351–88). Several buildings and tombs were built overlooking the water tank or lake. Firuz Shah's tomb pivots the L–shaped building complex which overlooks the tank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gurgaon district</span> District in Haryana, India

Gurgaon district, officially known as Gurugram district, is one of the 22 districts of Haryana in northern India. The city of Gurgaon is the administrative headquarters of the district. The population is 1,514,432. It is one of the southern districts of Haryana. On its north, it is bounded by the district of Jhajjar and the Union Territory of Delhi. Faridabad district lies to its east. On its south, lie the districts of Palwal and Nuh. To its west lies Rewari district.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delhi Ridge</span> Park in New Delh, India

Delhi Ridge, sometimes simply called The Ridge, is a ridge in the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor in the National Capital Territory of Delhi in India. It is a northern extension of the ancient Aravalli Range, some 1.5 billion years old. The ridge consists of quartzite rocks and extends from the southeast at Tughlaqabad, near the Bhatti mines, branching out in places and tapering off in the north near Wazirabad on the west bank of the river Yamuna, covering about 35 kilometres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badkhal Lake</span> Lake in India

Badkhal Lake is a natural lake situated in Badkhal village near Faridabad, in the Indian state of Haryana, about 32 kilometers from the national capital of Delhi. Fringed by the hills of the Aravalli Range, this was a man-made embankment. Owing to unchecked mining in neighbouring areas, the lake began drying up two decades back and is now totally dried up. There are functional Haryana Tourism Corporation restaurants in the vicinity. A flower show is held every spring here. Its name is most probably derived from the Persian word beydakhal, which means free from interference. Close to Badkhal Lake is the Peacock Lake. It is a biodiversity area within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor stretching from Sariska Tiger Reserve to Delhi.

Bandhwari is a village dominated by Gurjar community in Gurgaon district in the Indian state of Haryana. It is an important biodiversity area contiguous to Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor.

Gwal Pahari is a village dominated by Gurjar community in Gurugram Mandal in the Gurugram District of Haryana state, India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary</span> Wildlife sanctuary near Delhi, India

Asola-Bhati Wildlife Sanctuary covering 32.71 km2 area on the Southern Delhi Ridge of Aravalli hill range on Delhi-Haryana border lies in Southern Delhi as well as northern parts of Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana state. Biodiversity significance of Ridge lies in its merger with Indo-Gangetic plains, as it is the part of the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor, an important wildlife corridor which starts from the Sariska National Park in Rajasthan, passes through Nuh, Faridabad and Gurugram districts of Haryana and ends at Delhi Ridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sanjay Lake</span> Artificial lake in East Delhi, India

Sanjay Lake is an artificial lake developed by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in Trilokpuri in East Delhi, India, adjoining Mayur Vihar II residential area. The lake is Spread over an area of approximately 17 hectares in the middle of a 69 hectares forest area, also known as Sanjay Lake Park. Sanjay Lake was developed in the 1970s by DDA and opened in 1982. The lake attracts some migratory birds and has many indigenous trees. A well-laid-out fitness track is very popular with walking-enthusiasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water pollution in India</span> Water pollution in India is mainly due to untreated wastewater discharge into rivers

Water pollution is a major environmental issue in India. The largest source of water pollution in India is untreated sewage. Other sources of pollution include agricultural runoff and unregulated small-scale industry. Most rivers, lakes and surface water in India are polluted due to industries, untreated sewage and solid wastes. Although the average annual precipitation in India is about 4000 billion cubic metres, only about 1122 billion cubic metres of water resources are available for utilization due to lack of infrastructure. Much of this water is unsafe, because pollution degrades water quality. Water pollution severely limits the amount of water available to Indian consumers, its industry and its agriculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damdama Lake</span> Lake in Haryana, India

Damda reservoir in Sohna, near Gurugram city in Gurugram district in the Indian state of Haryana. Damdama Lake is a small lake in Haryana and was formed when a stone and earthen dam constructed by the British was commissioned for rain water harvesting in 1947. The lake, held by an embankment, is fed mainly by monsoon rain pouring into a trough at the base of the Aravali hills. The Lake greets visitors with a water level down to 20 ft (6.1 m). During monsoon the water level reaches up to 50 ft (15 m) - 70 ft (21 m).

Sanjay Van is a sprawling city forest area near Vasant Kunj and Mehrauli in Delhi, India. It is spread over an area of 443 acres. It is one of the most thickly wooded areas of the city’s green lungs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sahibi River</span> River in India

The Sahibi river, also called the Sabi River, is an ephemeral, rain-fed river flowing through Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi states in India. It originates in the eastern slopes of the Saiwar Protected Forest (PF) hills in Sikar District, enters Jaipur district near the foot of these hills, and after initially flowing southeast and east turns northeastwards near Shahpura and continues further till it exits Rajasthan to enter Haryana and further drains into Yamuna in Delhi, where its channeled course is also called the Najafgarh drain, which also serves as Najafgarh drain bird sanctuary. It flows for 300 km of which 157 km is in Rajasthan 100 km is in Haryana and 40 km in Delhi.

Forests Department, Haryana is a department of the Government of Haryana in India that runs and maintains many protected nature areas in the state of Haryana. It has two administrative divisions: Forest and Wildlife. The department is responsible for maintaining National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries and Conservation Reserves in Haryana. It also provides a special emphasis on Soil and Moisture Conservation works in the hills to conserve water and deliver it to adjacent farmlands. Two National Parks, eight Wildlife Sanctuaries, two Conservation Reserves, four Animal & Bird Breeding Centres, one Deer park, and 49 herbal parks. Kanwar Pal Gujjar has been the cabinet minister responsible for this department since October 2019. constitute the Protected Area network of the department, covering 0.75% of the state. It also maintains a list of Protected Areas in Haryana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Basai Wetland</span> Wetland in Haryana, India

Basai wetland, located in Basai village in Gurgaon tehsil in Gurgaon district in Haryana, India, is a flora and fauna rich water body. It is recognised as one of India's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas and is of global conservation significance as it supports populations of several endangered, vulnerable, and threatened bird species. Basai wetlandis recognised globally as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by the BirdLife International housing 20,000 birds of over 280 species including migratory birds and endangered birds, has not yet been declared a protected wetland by the Government of Haryana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aravali Biodiversity Park, Gurgaon</span> Biodiversity Park at Gurgaon

Aravali diversity-bio Park, Gurgaon, spreads over 153.7 hectares, near the Guru Dronacharya metro station in Gurgaon, Haryana, India. The park, contains ecologically restored and semi arid land vegetation. The park was opened to the public on World Environment Day, 5 June 2010. The park includes a number of trails and a native plant nursery and interpretive displays at the entrance. On 2022, the park was declared India's first OECM site- a tag given by the IUCN to areas that are not protected but support rich biodiversity. In April 2021, Municipal Corporation of Gurugram signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hero MotoCorp Ltd to maintain the park for 10 year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Masani barrage</span> Dam in Masani in Rewari District

Masani barrage, also Masani bridge, a barrage on the seasonal Sahibi River completed in 1989, is named after the Masani village in Rewari District of Haryana in India. Masani barrage also serves as a bridge on NH 919. Water storage in the barrage was made perennial in 2017 after a gap of 50 years. This barrage is important part of ecological corridor along the route of Sahibi river which traverses from Aravalli hills in Rajasthan to Yamuna via Matanhail forest, Chhuchhakwas-Godhari, Khaparwas Wildlife Sanctuary, Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, Outfall Drain Number 8 and 6, Sarbashirpur, Sultanpur National Park, Basai and The Lost Lake (Gurugram).

Tilpath Valley Biodiversity Park, is a 172 acre biodiversity area in the South Delhi Ridge within the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor, northwest of Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary, south of Sainik Farm.

Northern Ridge biodiversity park, in Delhi Ridge of Aravalli range is a 87 hectares biodiversity area in the Northern Ridge in Delhi, India. It lies in the Northern Aravalli leopard wildlife corridor.

Yamuna biodiversity park, located on Yamuna river front is a 9770 hectares biodiversity area in Delhi, India. It is developed by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) with the technical help of Centre for Environmental Management of Degraded Ecosystems (CEMDE), University of Delhi. It serves as an ideal alternative habitat for migratory and resident bird species. It also is designed to conserve the wild genetic resources of agricultural crops and enhance groundwater recharge and augment freshwater availability.

References

  1. 1 2 3 DDA biodiversity parks.
  2. "DDA revives Neela Hauz biodiversity park". Business Standard . Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  3. "Lake's blues end with green push". The Times of India . Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  4. "Are biodiversity parks helping the city's environment? Delhi University experts to find out". Hindustan Times . 25 February 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  5. 1 2 3 "Scientists engaged develop four biodiversity parks". Deccan Herald. 23 August 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 M Jaggi, June 2017, NOPR: Neela Hauz Biodiversity Park – From Barren to Beautiful, SR Vol.54(06).
  7. 1 2 Two years on, Tilpath Valley Biodiversity Park breathes again, Times of India, 23 February 2018.
  8. Government takes steps to restore biodiversity of Kamala Nehru ridge, Millennium Post, 14 October 2014.
  9. "Minutes of 20th Meeting held on 28.06.19 in the matter of O.A.No.496/2016 in the Hon'ble NGT" (PDF). 15 July 2019.
  10. Delhi gets its third biodiversity park in Tilpat Valley, Hindustan Times, 3 February 2018.