Hyderabad: Growing green spaces a la mini forests in city

Mini forests are literally on their way to our concretised urban agglomerations. The city is often termed concrete jungle in everyday parlance centred around climate change, heat and dust, vehicular exhaust etc. It seems to plead, 'Let me breathe," say some sadly. However, a green change is sprouting as a seed would.

Governments and concerned civil societies are adding to the greenery in their own ways. One may even call the latter as green armies or crusaders. One such group raring to grow green spaces is Inner Wheel Club in Secunderabad. A voluntary group of women, it has converted a land chunk (1,500 square yards) in Mahendra Hills into an 'Urban Mini Green Forest' where they have planted trees saplings and vegetables.

Speaking of their passion and mission, Vandana Jain, president of Inner Wheel Club, said, "This year, the aim of our club is to save green cover and environment. Deforestation is increasing due to rapid urbanization and denudation of green spaces; so, we thought of converting an open private land into a mini green urban forests. We took up the greenery project which was inaugurated in October last as Urban Mini Greens Forest."

Around 130 saplings are being planted in this land, including vegetables, planting trees, medicinal plants, various saplings of forest trees. They all would grow into lush green trees within 5 years. "Green leafy vegetables are grown and sold in nearby colonies and whatever revenue is generated is distributed among the three families who have been associated with us, for their self sustainability, and 10 to15 workers who help maintain this mini forest," she said. There is a pit for water harvesting and another for waste management . Dried leaves and kitchen green waste are converted into vermin compost and this manure is sold and proceeds are passed on to the workers. The club has now planned to convert another open land into a mini forest in the city in the future.

Apart from, the club has been adopting a white peacock for the last 10 to 15 years at the Nehru Zoological Park . It has also adopted 5 small birds. "The zoo has their own packages for adoption of animals. We only need to give a cheque to them and they do the needful. This club is supported by women from all walks of life, around 52 are associated with it from the city," adds Vandana.