To commemorate World Wetland Day, Hyderabad based NGO Dhruvansh introduced a unique and the biggest floating island in India. On Friday the floating island was put in place on the Neknampur Lake.
This 2,500 sq., ft., floating island is basically a number of water plants that absorb phosphorus and nitrogen. The lake is affected by sewage and was just another smelly lake in Hyderabad. Until the NGO decided to restore the lake with an eco friendly and long lasting solution. The water body earlier supported aquatic life and different species of birds. But due to the sewage, the aquatic animals have died and the birds have migrated.
The NGO Chairman Madhulika Chowdary explained the platform to support the plants were made out of styrofoam, gunny bags, coir and bamboo. Each floating bed is in a cuboid shape and this floating island has 27 beds. Each bed has a variety of plants like Tulasi and Ashvagandha. She said, “Technically the floating bed could be feasible for more than two years from now. This floating island will bring revolution in urban lake restoration.”
Conservator of Forests and Urban Forestry of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), Director, B. Srinivas spoke of the days Hyderabad was actually the City of Lakes. He said, “Over 3,120 lakes have (been) identified in the HMDA limit, and survey of around 2,400 lakes survey has been completed till now.”
Rajendranagar MLA T. Prakash Goud along with India Book of Records Adjudicator K. Ashok Vardhan Reddy and Environment Protection Training and Research Institute Director General, B. Kalyan Chakravarthy attended the event.
