The Hindu : New Delhi News : JNU goes greener than ever before

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 09, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

JNU goes greener than ever before

Parul Sharma

500 varieties of flora planted; bio-diversity zone planned

Photo: Shanker Chakravarty

Colourful campus: A view of a well-maintained garden at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi.

NEW DELHI: With nearly 70 per cent of its over 1,000-acre campus comprising vegetation, Jawaharlal Nehru University here is now claiming to be greener than the neighbouring campus of IIT Delhi.

Over the past two years, the Horticulture Department at JNU has been pro-active in enhancing and maintaining the flora on the campus. Trees and flowers are being planted all around the campus, on the roadside, in the academic area (where most of the JNU schools are located) and near the North Gate. Eco-friendly grass-grid tiles have also been installed outside the cafeteria.

“Earlier, the flora was being maintained by the Central Public Works Department. It was later handed over to our Horticulture Department. We have revived the department in a big way and a lot has been done in the past couple of years,” says Rector-I Rajendra Prasad.

Lots of trees

“A large number of trees have been planted over the past 30 years but not many survived as there was no proper care. Now we have got tree guards to protect them from being damaged by animals and squalls,” he says. The main entrance to the Administration block and the open space adjacent to the library have been beautified with flowers.

“We have planted about 500 different varieties of flora including trees, shrubs and ground cover on the campus. The area outside the different schools was cleared of debris and garbage after which trees and shrubs were planted. The campus also has different medicinal plants, some of which already existed, while a few others, like aloe vera, tulsi and arjuna, were introduced by us,” says Horticulture Officer Sunil Kumar.

The campus has more than 50 varieties of trees like jamun, amaltas, neem, gulmohar, chorisia, kusum, kadam, jacaranda, lagerstroemia, bottlebrush, areca palm and ashoka.

Lots of shrubs

Different types of shrubs that can be seen on the JNU campus include lagerstroemia indica, har singar, tecoma capensis, gardenia, crotons and hibiscus. A number of seasonal flowers like pansy, petunia and chrysanthemum were sown near the Parthasarthy Rock on the campus this past December that will be in full bloom by February.

“Till some years ago, climbers like bougainvillea had been growing unsupervised. Now we cut them regularly so that they do not impede the growth of the neighbouring trees,” says Mr. Kumar.

The Rector informs that an Environmental Task Force comprising the likes of naturalist Pradip Krishen had also been set up that approves any expansion/ new construction on the campus.

“The Force also decides the kind of trees to be planted on the campus. There are times we have stopped the construction of a building because of environmental reasons. In fact, now we have decided to go vertical for building hostels, schools and houses so that the green areas are not disturbed. We will also make a bio-diversity zone where no construction will be allowed,” says Prof. Prasad.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi