You are greeted by the lively chirps of the mynah and the cuckoo in the early hours of the morning. You also spot sparrows and may glimpse the peacock dancing for joy on an occasional rainy day. The area is replete with pigeons, owls, parakeets, drongos, Spotted Dove, Common Tailorbird, sunbirds, parakeets, bulbuls and the Asian Koel.
You are at Parsn Sesh Nestle, a gated community on Nanjundapuram Road, which scores not just in terms of peace and quiet, but also in the variety of flora throughout its 40 acres. This is the result of a focussed campaign by the residents and managing committee for over two decades.
Rich variety
You will see a fair share of ficus, ashoka, neem, royal palm and silver oak trees and take in the aroma of the fragrant magizhampoo as you stroll around the campus. The residents here are actively involved in keeping the green cover alive. There are at least 1,250 trees of 150 different species spread across 614 homes and 17 blocks of residential space. “We are looking to plant more trees with medicinal values to benefit the residents. We have used the help of NGOs to ensure that new saplings are planted at a depth of three to four feet, without interfering with the electricity or drainage lines,” says G. Premanand, past president of the Parsn Apex Welfare Committee.
Attractive flowers such as plumeria alba, hibiscus, sarakondrai, orchid, ixora, jasmine, manoranjitham and mandharai are found all over. The healthy green cover has resulted in increased avian life. “We are taking professional help to re-introduce the house sparrow within the colony and have built sparrow huts,” says Premanand.
Parsn is especially proud of its three nochi trees, known for their medicinal properties. Dedicated staff are in charge of watering, pruning and maintenance of the trees here.
There is a marked difference in the climate inside the campus, thanks to the shade provided by these oxygen-giving trees. Banyan, neem and Flame of the Forest trees help provide much-needed respite from the summer Sun. Fruit bearing trees such as mango, jamun, gooseberry, papaya and chickoo have made for some mouth-watering exchanges among residents.
There is a close connection between some of the trees and the new residential blocks. “Phases have been named Raintreeshire and Orchid after the trees in those areas,” says resident S. Muguran.
Initiatives such as drip irrigation, sprinklers and manual watering make this campus lush and green. “Having lived here for two decades, I can say that the green cover is a lot denser and healthier here than in most other residential complexes I have seen,” says Gopalakrishnan, a senior citizen.
How green is your neighbourhood? Write in to feedbackcbe@gmail.com if you know of any colonies in the city that take pride in their trees.
