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Sagar Upvan garden in Colaba to introduce nature train

The nature train will educate children about the 500 species of plants from various parts of the country and the sewage recycling plant that allows the garden to go green in a green way.

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On Sunday, apart from the ceremonial tree planting drives that most gardens observe on the environment day, Sagar Upvan, a 12-acre garden in Colaba will also have a nature train. The nature train will educate children about the 500 species of plants from various parts of the country and the sewage recycling plant that allows the garden to go green in a green way.

Situated at the tip of South Mumbai, the Bombay Port Trust’s (BPT) Sagar Upvan is a walker’s delight. Mounds, lawns, sea facing benches with trees providing canopy, neatly paved walking tracks, colourful plants, it stands out from the rest in the city with its verdant greenery. And it is all thanks to the decision taken back in 1995 when the garden was developed.

“While developing the garden, we thought of having a sewage recycling plant so that there is no shortage of water supply. In this way, we did not waste money arranging for large quantity of water, and we also ensured that there was a regular supply of water,” said Girish Shirshat, executive engineer, BPT.

Developed at a cost of Rs50 lakh, the sewage treatment plant has allowed All India Association of Industries, which maintains the garden, to save up to Rs3 lakh per month after deducting expenses to run the plant. “Had we not had the plant, we would have spent Rs800-1,000 per tanker per day. We require at least 20 tankers per day. Now we recycle water at a cost of Rs350. This ensures that on a daily basis we save Rs10,000 approximately,” added Shirshat.

The money saved on the water expenses is in fact less than the money spent for the maintenance of the garden. “Our yearly expense is around Rs30 lakhs. We raise this money from sponsors, who give it as part of their corporate social responsibility,” said Rupa Naik, executive director, All India Association of Industries.

Reclaimed in 1990s, BPT first gave the garden to the BMC for developing it. When the BMC did not do anything, BPT developed it at cost of Rs2.5 crore. That included the cost of the plant which recycles 2.20 lakh litres of sewage water from the sullage of 125 flats in the BPT colony and over 100 servant quarters.
“We thought why pollute the environment and instead use the same to our, and nature’s, benefit. That is when we diverted all the sewage lines from the quarters and some BMC drainage line too which until then let into the sea,” said Shirshat.

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