Designer

Just came across a surprising article in Hindustan Times that there was a Lake of area about 300 Sqkm (Say 15.0 km by 20.0 kms!!!) in Najafgarh (Delhi-Haryana Border), in the close vicinity of Gurgaon. With some googleing I came to know that it is now a marshy land along Najafgarh Nallah with an area of about 7 Sqkm at present (say 10.0 kms by 0.70 kms!!!!).

I try to locate it on Google earth but I only find a widened Najafgarh drain near chawla Camp about a distance of 2.75 Kms from proposed Sobha International City.

As per available news it was slowly and steadily drained out completely after 1960s in the pretext of saving Delhi from flood (To me it is again a surprise -.
“Till before independence many British colonial Officers and dignitaries came in large parties for waterfowl hunting every season” - Wikipedia

Now my curiosity is that if it was a lake area who owns that lake area of 300 sqkms. Is it maintained by Flood control OR Forest department OR someone else? (I assume such land comes under government control)

What about the Sultanpur bird century of Gurgaon district, if it can happen to Najafgarh Lake what about the fate of Sultanpur National Park (A bird century with an area of only 1.43 Sqkms).

What I remember that there was one of the ecologist/environmentalist who was opposing the construction of Amity Intersections (Now MAHAMAYA intersection Noida) in the pretext of destroying the bird century near the Yamuna bank and delayed the project for some duration (It is one of the small example out of many others where environmentalist and ecologist mainly through their NGOs want to come into limelight and later closes their eyes with one or more reasons)




Link : Hindustan Times

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It is better to be blind than to see things from only one point of view

rahul2011

thisis really amazing...all efforts should go in saving this natural lake...

you said 2 kms from Shobha sector 109? thats a good news even for investors in that area...

Designer

Got a PDF file of Planning Zone-L, West Zone –III of Master Plan of Delhi 2021, as per this plan there is a huge area(Need to measure) planned for Najafgarh Lake on the other side of Gurgaon Sector 107 and 108.

If this really happens, it will act as a one of the natural heart and lungs for growing population of Gurgaon and West Delhi. Also got some pictures as well , will post later.

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Designer

Special guests have arrived in Gurgaon for a short stay. They arrived here from a long journey of more than 5000 kms...

It seems even Siberians also love to stay in Gurgaon, let this situation be remain forever so that people of gurgaon can enjoy the beauty of nature amidst upcoming vast concrete jungles.


BTW, Guests are Siberian Cranes and place is Sultanpur National Park, just 7.50 kms from Sector 37D. I am posting this news with relevant reference because I think we cannot neglect this one of the few advantages of living in corporate gurgaon



Link: Siberian birds arrive at Sultanpur park - Hindustan Times

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amit2222

Few years back, I visited Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. The place is disgusting for travelers. It was in a such a state of shabbiness that you would vomit if you try to be adventurous. There was a lake in between that was completely dried out with lot of dead fishes. I saw cows feasting on those fishes. This is the worst place I have visited in my life and traveling to this place is not that easy.

Mikhail

There are a lot of lakes (created by mining/quarrying) in the faridabad region. The route i had taken was from the surajkund road into a offroad trail (with the trespassers will be prosecuted warning)
The water is deep blue and its very very lonely and serene. Ideal for a beer with friends but seems very very susceptible to crime.

Designer

Hi Amit,

Well said Amit, even I visited that park in year 2008 and the situation was the same like you described except that I didn’t vomited there. Only positive thing was that I saw a huge green area very near to the dense habitations of Gurgaon but also it was not like what you see in well maintained Budha Garden, Lodhi Garden, Purana Kila and Talkatora Garden of Delhi being used for various purposes!!!

Recently I came across an article about the Najafgarh Jheel, a lake with a rich history probably till the British empire exists, it came to my surprise that being a resident of Delhi I was totally unaware of this historically rich lake (But now it is in worst conditions without any well defined boundary).

After this I started searching about the natural environs in and around Gurgaon for day out/ picnic spots. I got the following two places of interest within a radius of 25.0 kms from Gurgaon:

1. Damdama Lake: One of the biggest natural lakes in Haryana; it is about 20 kms from Rajiv chowk towards south of Gurgaon and is off the Gurgaon-Alwar road with a maintained Saras tourist complex and other adventurous attractions.

2. Sultanpur National Park: One of smallest National Park of India with a lot of greenery, it is about 16 kms from Rajiv chowk towards north of Gurgaon.
Damdama lake is far better maintained then Sultanpur bird Century and the government and other agencies are doing good business there.

Today I googled a draft notification of MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND FORESTS, New Delhi, 29 January 2009(Link below). As per this notification, area up to 5.0 kms from the boundary of this park comes under Eco-Sensitive Zone with regulated and restrictive constructional and Industrial activities. It was prepared by government for the benefit of this National Park but I think it was treated as just another crap for their time pass OR might be we are unaware of their secret development.

I think that area in and around Sultanpur National Park have the same potential; only thing is that when it is going to happen and why government is sleepy and inactive about this national park. Anyhow we can assume that the greenery is going to be there for a long time to come.

Pls note that I am neither an environmentalist nor an activist, my only concern is that when we are planning to stay our rest of life in a city, we must concern about retaining and developing the available natural flora and fauna in and around our concrete jungles. When we are paying huge amount in PLCs for small park area in front of our home then we must admit that such places does matters a lot for the healthy environment of our city.

http://envfor.nic.in/legis/eia/so364.pdf

Designer

I googled out some really nice snaps of Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary taken in December,thanks for those all bird watchers....

Hope this place will remain in natural state, still need better management by Government to conserve one of the very few natural places around Concrete Jungle of Gurgaon.

Links :

Sultanpur National Park, Sultanpur National Park Haryana in India, Sultanpur National Park attractions

Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, December Trails « footlost

rushilarora

Thanks so much designer... I was wondering where to take my daughter this weekend and the pics in your post have inspired me enough to head for Sultanpur this weekend...

Will definitely post some pics if I manage to go there....

Keep up the good work.

Belief111

How true!!


Thanks Designer for initiating this thread. Greens are so vital in life and so often taken for granted.

Great civilizations world over have been built around the rivers/waters. Delhi had one, unfortunately we let go of it.
On the Nazafgarh lake you mentioned, if possible, I will rather hope that we can somehow restore it or maybe have an artificial lake in the area. Assuming of course, flooding possibilities are taken care of. Even a waterbody one tenth of the area of the 300 sq km lake referred here, near NCR will do a world of good.
Dreaming, I know...but at least in dreams, we can!

Cheers.