Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday hosted envoys of various G20 and other nations at Asita East on the Yamuna river floodplains, which has been restored and rejuvenated by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), the Raj Niwas said.
“Ambassadors and other diplomats of 11 countries visited Asita East and went on a nature trail and bird watching tour along the floodplains, spotting over 30 species of birds,” the L-G House said.
The L-G House also said that the envoys appreciated the rich biodiversity and the efforts undertaken to restore the ecological character of the Yamuna.
Union Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakshi Lekhi; G20 Sherpa Amitabh Khan; Chief Coordinator for G20 Harsh Vardhan Shringla; Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar; Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora; DDA vice-chairperson Subhasish Panda were among the attendees of the event.
Lauding the efforts that have gone into rejuvenating the Yamuna floodplains, Mr. Saxena said, “Asita has been our own effort at such rejuvenation. Just six months ago, this fragile riverine eco-system was a dumpyard of waste, squatters and stray animals. Persistent efforts by the DDA has resulted in salvaging a self-contained ecosystem that houses rich natural diversity. Though the Yamuna floodplains remain fragile, efforts are being made to restore and rejuvenate Delhi’s natural heritage that is crucial for making Delhi environmentally sustainable with a refurbished green blue ecosystem.”
Following the Delhi High Court’s intervention, the DDA reclaimed Asita East, spread over 90 hectares of floodplains, by removing the squatters. It was then restored through the universal principles of ecological restoration by restoring the natural depressions, creating the catchment zones, reviving the floodplain forests and grasslands and creating favourable habitats especially for water and terrestrial birds, according to Raj Niwas.
