Work Together. Make a Difference. This is the motto of an NGO called I am Gurgaon working to make Gurgaon a better place to live in. It is an initiative by and for the citizens who are creating a forest on 350 acres of land in Gurgaon, one sapling at a time.
Gurgaon’s development ruined the environment
Gurgaon has over time grown from a barren land to a commercial city with multinational companies and high rise buildings. It has given jobs to thousands of people from across the country. But to reach this level, it had to undergo a lot of environmental changes like cutting of trees to make space for the buildings.
The birth of ‘I am Gurgaon’
This change leading to deteriorating environment motivated the citizens to start their NGO called I am Gurgaon. They aim to revive greenery in Gurgaon and wants to do so with the help of citizens. The NGO provides a platform to like minded people to interact and discuss issues of environmental concern.
The NGO’s efforts in Gurgaon
Since its conception 9 years ago, I am Gurgaon has been doing commendable work. They have revived Aravalli Biodiversity park. I am Gurgaon is working in close association with the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon and 350 acres of land owned by the corporation is now home to thousands of trees and more than 183 species of birds.
The NGO has taken an initiative called Million Trees Gurgaon and have vowed to plant 10,00,000 saplings across the city. They have already planted more than 1,00,000 saplings.
A lot of citizens both young and old have volunteered to be a part of the cause. The NGO keeps organizing nature walks, cleanliness drives, leaf composting as well as cultural events. The municipal corporation is giving full support by providing proper infrastructure including amphitheater, parking space, cycling tracks and walking tracks.
Lesson learnt
What we learn from this entire story is that to live in a better and greener environment, we need to do our own bit in growing more trees and plants. It is in our hands to make it a more livable place for us and our future generations.
Website address : http://iamgurgaon.org/
