Meet this green thumb next door
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Meet this green thumb next door

An incredible story of how one man's green finger turned a gated community in Indirapuram into a garden of Eden.

Meet this green thumb next door

Srikrishna Bedbak, a 45 year old resident of Shipra Krishna Vista in Indirapuram, has mobilised his entire society - it has 1,100 apartments - to plant 5,000 plus trees and plants. Here he tells City Spidey about his inspirational feat.

This is perhaps one of the greenest socities in Indirapuram! How did you begin?
My father was a forest officer. I developed my love for the greens from him. Initially, I took upon myself to maintain the trees outside the compound of our society planted by GDA (Ghaziabad Development Society). Basically, watering them regularly, pruning them and generally nurturing them. Then I started work within the compound. 

You are a full time finance and accounting professional. So how do you find time?
Well, I work five days a week for an European Union office, but devote the weekends to my green initiatives.

Are your neighbours and the RWA with you in your effort?
Certainly. I am really happy that seeing me residents of Krishna Vista have willingly come forward to participate in this green drive. It is particularly great to find kids, ladies and elderly joining in. They have also donated money for buying saplings and fertilisers. Now we have even formed a nine-member horticulture committee. All our green activities are now funded by the RWA.

What kind of plants are you growing mostly?
The trees are often fruit bearing. Mango trees, blackberry, amla (gooseberry), etc. There are also neem trees. Yes, very soon our residential society will have its own fruit garden. We also plant decorative and flowering plants, and cultivating a herbal garden too.

Where do you source your plants from?
We mostly source our plants and saplings from the government nurseries. Indirapuram has quite a few of these which sell these at a nominal price.

Any bottlenecks on your way?
Lack of trained manpower like gardeners are always an issue. Also more volunteers are always welcome.

So what's next?
We have recently started the idea of tire gardening. Essentially, we use old, worn out car or two wheeler tires and get kids to paint them in rainbow hues - these work as great flower pots. Even kids have started making these tyre gardens. We are also training our little residents on how to grow their own veggies, which they do in a corner of the central park of the compound.

Finally, any message to City Spidey readers?
We cannot push responsibilities. We shouldn't think that it's somebody else's job to make our neighbourhood green. Everybody should contribute and join hands to achieve a green environment. That's a responsibility no one should shrug off.

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