Dhruvansh, a voluntary organisation working for protection of water bodies, is going to introduce a floating island of 2,500 sq.ft with about 3,500 wetland plants on the Neknampur Lake. The ‘island platform’ has been designed using styrofoam, bamboo, gunny bags, coir and so on and could bear the weight of four persons, according to Madhulika Choudhary of the body.
Wetland plants planted here include vertivers (1000), Canna (700), cattails (500), bulrush (500), citronella (250), hibiscus (100), fountain grass (100), flowering herbs (200), tulasi (100) and ashvagandha (50) — said to be a combination of mosquito repelling, water cleaning and biodiversity increasing plants, she said.
To be launched on February 2, also observed as ‘World Wetland Day’, the floating island would be installed close to inlet and since the lake is total sewage water, different layers have been planned for cleaning. First layer is of floating aquatic weed which is already floating in the lake, second layer is of typhas and phragmites and then subsequent layers are to be introduced.
She explained that the water passing through all these layers would be filtered to finally receive optimum fresh water. The floating island would help the fish and also help reduce algae by stopping sun rays from seeping through. Ms. Choudhary stated it would provide an ideal habitat for nesting of birds and other animals.
For over a year, the organisation has successfully campaigned against dumping of debris or garbage, planted trees around and had also introduced aerators in the lake and this has helped improve biodiversity, she said. The lake and environs is home to 132 species of plants, 178 species of birds, 12 species of mammals, 21 species of reptiles and amphibians besides 41 species of insects, mainly butterflies and spiders.
