HM Shah to inaugurate DDA's Kite Festival at Baansera today
New Delhi, Jan 16
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on Friday, will inaugurate the third International Kite Festival of the Delhi Development Authority at Baansera grasslands on Yamuna floodplains near Sarai Kale Khan in the national capital.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) V.K. Saxena will be the Guest of Honour at the event that will also be attended by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.
DDA Vice-Chairman N. Saravana Kumar said, in the invite for the three-day event, that the inauguration ceremony will take place at Birsa Munda Chowk in Baansera around Friday noon.
The DDA threw open and invited citizens to visit the restored grasslands on Yamuna floodplains at Baansera near Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi in August 2024.
Earlier on Thursday, lauding the efforts of DDA officials, in a post on social media platform X, the L-G also attached a short video capturing the images of transformation of the area and captioned "Baansera -- From Degradation to restoration as a green oasis".
"Inspired by PM Narendra Modi Ji's towering vision of restoring 2.6 crore hectares of country's degraded land by 2030, we took a baby step in Delhi on May 28, 2022, right after I took over as L-G," he said.
"On a visit to a heavily degraded and polluted stretch along the Yamuna, opposite Sarai Kale Khan on the Ring Road, Baansera -- abode of bamboos, was conceived. What followed was not only restoration, but reclamation and transformation, within a short span of 18 months, thanks to the painstaking efforts of Delhi Development Authority @official_dda," L-G Saxena said in a post on X.
Describing the DDA as the custodian of the Yamuna floodplains in Delhi, the L-G said, "Today, with about 30,000 bamboo trees that stand more than 30-feet-tall, amid other indigenous trees and rolling landscape of green grass, flowers and water bodies, Baansera has emerged as a unique new recreational destination and an ecological wonder in Delhi."
"Once a stinking stretch of land buried under lakhs of tonnes of garbage, construction and demolition waste and heavy encroachment, Baansera today is an oasis that houses bamboo plants emitting 30 per cent more Oxygen compared to other trees and restoring the degraded soil," L-G Saxena said.
"The park is now hosting social, cultural events like Kite Festival, Yoga events and even musical evenings. Baansera epitomises the remarkable healing of Yamuna floodplain with improved soil health and a richer landscape, reaffirming our belief that ecosystems can be revived through gentle natural processes. I appeal to all fellow Delhi residents to visit the Baansera park," the L-G added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see the L-G and CM attending together for a positive event. The kite festival is a great idea to promote our culture. Hope the focus remains on maintaining this green zone and not letting it get polluted again.
While the restoration work is commendable, I hope the authorities ensure the festival doesn't create its own waste problem. Last year's event at another venue left behind a lot of plastic and litter. Let's celebrate responsibly.
As someone who lives near Sarai Kale Khan, the change is visible. The air feels better. The kite festival will be a lovely community event. Kudos to all involved.
30,000 bamboo trees in 18 months? That's impressive speed. Bamboo is great for the environment. Hope they replicate this model along other stretches of the river. More power to such projects!
A green oasis in Delhi is exactly what we need. The before-and-after must be seen to be believed. I appreciate the L-G sharing the video. It builds public trust. Let's all visit and keep it clean. 🙏
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