Noida, Gr Noida residents take up shovels to clean ponds, lakes in their localities

The residents living around lakes in various villages in the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida on Sunday witnessed a cleanliness drive and are have recently been pitching in for the cleaning of the water bodies in their areas.

The local political leaders and various environmental activists have also come up with them in the drive.

On Sunday morning, more than hundred volunteers poured in over the weekend to clear tonnes of garbage and make the lake in village Dabra in Greater Noida an encroachment and waste free area.

Dadri MLA Tejpal Singh Nagar and volunteers from Environmentalist Foundation joined them to remove the waste.

On the occasion, the lake in Dabra village was also renamed after the name of Martyr Suresh as 'Shaheed Sarovar'.

"It's a pleasure for me to be a part of such a drive undertaken by these youngsters. I am overwhelmed to see that today the young generation is so much concerned about the environment and its preservation," said Nagar.

As part of the second phase of its project to restore 'Shaheed sarovar', the volunteers and the environmentalists will be planting saplings across the lake and will work on the further renovation.

Similar efforts are on the way from the residents of other villages also.

A team of environmental activists will also seek help from the authority in cleaning of all the water bodies situated in the twin cities.

"The drive is based on involving the general public in environment conservation.

"A large number of freshwater habitats which once were water recharge structures are today being converted into dumping grounds or have been acquired by illegal encroachments," said Vikrant Tongad, an environmental activist.

"The increasing construction activities in the two cities have also led to the sprawling of these water bodies. The area of these water bodies are listed as a plain surface in the authority's city plan," he added.

Apart from Tongad, Ramveer Tanwar, Amit Ghanghola, Jitendra Bhati, Master Arun, Vikas Tongad, Naresh Paliwan, Vishal Nagar and Mohit Bhati participated in the Sunday's cleanliness and preservation drive.