Hi Victor, I think you love to explore nature. Green cover plays an integral role in improving urban environment by improving water and air quality, reducing energy consumption by controlling temperature, and reducing pollution levels, soil erosion and flooding.
Increasing the green cover also has economic benefits as it increases the value of the residential properties nearby. Projects which have adequate green spaces such as playgrounds, lawns, gardens and parks are known to fetch higher prices than ones without any green recreational areas.
Recently, the government announced the Green Highways Policy, aiming to enhance the green cover in the country to a healthy environment. This policy would make it mandatory to set aside 1 % of the project cost of highways for the exclusive use of plantation along the highways. This move comes at a time when rampant construction and urbanisation are taking a heavy toll on the green cover and, consequently, on the ecological balance of the country.
@ Vivek heard that the ongoing construction at the Commonwealth Games Village near Akshardham temple will continue. Earlier, environmental experts had cried foul after the DDA, ignoring all environmental norms, changed the land use of a protion of the river bed to construct the Games Village.
This decision was taken at the DDA Board meeting which cleared the plan for zone "O" riverbed / riverfront). It is the zonal plan, which specifies the usage of the existing vacant land in the city.
Because of the special characteristic and ecological significance of the riverbed, DDAhas decided against any future concretisation on the river bed. Earlier plans to set upsport and commercial facilities like a football stadium and an IT park has been shelved. They've now been replaced with water bodies and green stretches like nature trails and bio-diversity parks.