NT24 News : Nature Camps at City Forest Inaugurated for Students...........................

Nature Camps at City Forest Inaugurated for Students & Teachers of Home Science College

National Tele24 News

Vinay Kumar

Chandigarh

Today,welcoming the rich flora and fauna of Chandigarh region, Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration in collaboration with an NGO-Yuvsatta organized biodiversity walks at City Forest (Nagar Van) behind Sukhna Lake for 50 Eco Club students, NSS Volunteers, teachers and Principal Dr. Sudha Katyal of Government Home Science College, Chandigarh. Inaugurating the Nature Walks at City Forests Mr. TC Nautiyal the Chief Conservator of Forests said to students that if you want some quiet time in the woods free from the noise and pollution of urban life, step into the newly minted city forest aka ‘Nagar Van’ in Chandigarh. Spread over 100 hectares in and around the lake reserve forest area, this oasis of calm broken only by the cries of peacocks and birdsong, was inaugurated in April, 2018. And here tall green trees and brightly coloured flowers border a giant green gate that leads you to an open air gym to the right and a children’s park to the left. An array of colourful birds, such as grey hornbill, peacocks, parrots, parakeets and junglefowl keep you company as you walk along. On a good day early in the morning or at dusk, you might also spot barasingha (swamp deer), neelgai (blue bull), sambar deer, wild boar, jungle cat, and even hyena. But generally, these animals steer clear of humans. The forest is a wild-life habitat, and the track circles it in a way so as not to disturb the animals. On the occasion Mr. Kulbhushan Kanwar, environmentalist, who has single-handedly discovered and photographed over 100 species of butterflies of Chandigarh explained to young students about how butterflies plays an important role in keeping all humans alive.   “It is a popular myth that butterflies only suck nectar out of flowers as many of them never sit on flowers but instead they draw their food from overripe foods, bird droppings, damp patches and dead animals. He also added that studies suggests more than 70% pollination happens due to butterflies and bees and hence they are essential to our eco-system. On the occasion a Biodiversity Walk was also organized making student’s identifying various species of flora and fauna of City Forest and later Principal Sudha Katyal presented chocolates and autobiographies of Mahatma Gandhi as prizes to the winning students. In coming days, volunteers of Yuvsatta and officials of Department of Environment, Chandigarh Administration intends to organize many such educational Forest excursions for over 500 College level students in association with State Cell NSS and Eco Clubs of Colleges.