A citizen's group from Kandivali (East) that has been consistently putting efforts to increase the green cover, has now taken up the challenge, to bring back the fluttering butterflies in their area, which members say will be an ideal gift for the children from the township.
Members of We All Connect (WAC), a community that has around 5,000 members from the Lokhandwala Township initiated a survey of their area two weeks back to identify favourable spaces where they could begin plantation of host and nectar plants specifically to attract butterflies.
"While we are looking for spaces across the township, we decided to initiate the first phase of the plantation from July 6 along the periphery of Vilasrao Deshmukh Park a huge BMC ground near Lokhandwala Foundation School. We will be planting around 300 plants of different species that are butterfly friendly- carefully chosen with the help of nature enthusiasts like Ajay Nadkarni," informed Santosh Shetty of WAC.
According to Shetty, although their area is close to Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), they are surrounded by are slums and concrete jungle. "Most of the plantations, which were done earlier hardly attract any birds or butterflies and hence during a discussion in our forum we decided to make the township a habitat for butterflies, which will itself become a big attraction for children and also provide them with the first step to observing nature," he said stating that even since the forum began tree plantation drives they have only been planting native trees.
Members informed that they are planning to involve the nearby school, which could help in significant ways including looking after the plantations and even encourage their children to develop a hobby of watching butterflies.WAC has already begun pooling in money to buy plants and has involved BMC, which will help them dig up pits for carrying out plantation. The members are also visiting different nurseries to purchase plants and are also looking forward to BMC helping them with soil and compost.
Naturalists have welcomed the move by WAC saying that this example was worth emulating by other major townships and resident societies. Watching butterfly is not only one of the best stress buster but it also significantly helps children understand their life cycle and develop an interest in nature and photography.
Members informed that they are planning to involve the nearby school, which could help in significant ways including looking after the plantations and even encourage their children to develop a hobby of watching butterflies