Noida: Residents of Arun Vihar said on Tuesday to have reclaimed a long-neglected green-belt, littered with construction and demolition (C&D) waste and garbage, with the help of Noida authority, and the Floriculture Society of Noida, an NGO.
Over the past month, nearly 24,000 square foot of land was cleared, with around 14–15 truckloads of construction debris removed from the site, said residents.
According to the Arun Vihar Residents Welfare Association (AVRWA), the area, which had turned into a dumping ground, has now been restored into a clean and breathable green space. Over the last month, around 14–15 truckloads of construction debris were removed from the site, the RWA added.
“Building on this momentum, the AVRWA on Tuesday organised a plantation drive to mark the Earth Day (Wednesday) at the same green belt site in Sector 37. Our initiative aims to convert the reclaimed land into a thriving green zone while reinforcing long-term community ownership,” said AVRWA’s chairman (retd) Col Prashant Gupta.
“This transformation is not incidental. It is the result of relentless effort, coordination and an intent to act rather than merely discuss the problem,” he added.
Talking to HT, Anand Mohan Singh, deputy director (horticulture), Noida authority, said, “It was a welcome initiative, and we were happy to support it. We provided the plants, and residents came together to carry out the plantation.”
During the plantation drive, Preeti Singh, an Arun Vihar resident and member of the Floriculture Society of Noida, said, “I have been living here for 15 years, and this belt has only worsened over time. While the authority should have taken responsibility, residents living nearby are equally accountable.”
“We spent the last month cleaning it up and removed around 15 truckloads of debris and waste that had been dumped here,” she added.
The AVRWA officials said their RWA represents Sectors 28, 29 and 37.
