News: 50 acres cleared of debris in Khori, forest to be restored-15-08-2021
Gurgaon: The Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA) is planning to sow seeds in over 50 acres of Aravali land cleared of debris in Khori. Officials said seeds of species suitable for the Aravalis, such as khairi, dhak and ronjh, will be sown in the area.
Around 100kg of seeds will be used, considering that only 50% are expected to germinate. There are also plans to develop the area as a city forest or biodiversity park, but due to shortage of funds for such a project, FMDA will start seeding, sources said. The exercise will begin after it rains in the area, as the land has now dried up. Most of the seeds will be procured from Arid Forest Research Institute in Jodhpur. The public will also be requested to donate plants and contribute financially, officials said.
“Our main emphasis for the restoration of green cover in Khori village will be on seeding. The germination percentage of dhok (Anogeissus pendula), which is the most suitable for the area, is less and its seeds can’t be stored for a long time. Seeds of khairi, dhak and ronjh trees, however, germinate easily, have a better survival rate and don’t require as much maintenance,” said Subhash Yadav, divisional forest officer and head of FMDA’s urban environment division.
The seeds will be mixed with manure and pesticides and then sprinkled on the land,” Yadav added.
At an FMDA meeting held on August 4, it was decided that the divisional forest officer would prepare a plan to transform the land into a forest area and explore the possibility of developing it as a city forest or biodiversity park at the earliest. A private firm, which was earlier keen to collaborate with the Faridabad authorities for the restoration of Khori, is no longer interested in going ahead with the proposal, officials said.
Moreover, a proposal to use the demolition waste to fill potholes on roads or to construct boundary walls in Khori was also raised in the meeting. “It was also decided that the land vacated by the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF) will be handed over to FMDA, which would then take over the responsibility of its development,” an official said.
The Supreme Court had on June 7 ordered MCF to clear the eco-sensitive Aravali forest land in Khori of encroachments. The corporation was given six weeks’ time to demolish illegal houses built on the forest land. Following the order, MCF had started a demolition drive on July 14 and has finished razing all the illegal structures. The forest department of Faridabad is now demolishing farmhouses constructed illegally in other Aravali areas of the district.
