Complex predicaments warrant well thought-out and ingenious solutions. Additionally, they require the fortitude to execute ideas and plans. This, and so much more, is exactly what a cohort of young ladies from Enactus, Lady Shri Ram College for Women is doing as they traipse forward on a journey for the larger good of society. When a group of passionate individuals coalesce to perform their social responsibilities, the result are five impressive community projects – Maati, Yuvaakti, Kalakaashi, Auric and Utthaan – the last two being ongoing projects.
Project Utthaan, comprising of vertical gardening installations being carried out by destitute nursery workers, has forged its way into the limelight and how.
The fact that the government shows genuine concern for the menace of rising air pollution is a heartening turn of events. Recognising its brevity, they’ve put into motion a variety of measures to deal with the same. An obvious answer is planting more trees but in the face of paucity of space, it’s vertical gardening that fills the gap.
The East Delhi Municipal Corporation collaborated with Project Utthaan to install vertical gardens at two locations in the environs of East Delhi: Patparganj Chest Clinic and Court of Municipal Magistrate (Shahdara). East Delhi suffers from extreme pollution and these important sites lacked aesthetic as well as environmental appeal.
Additionally, the usage of bottles to put up DIY vertical gardens was appreciated by the authorities. Enactus, as an initiative, embodies the spirit of societal service. Staying true to this, the members of Project Utthaan also went on to paint graffiti on the walls of two additional locations: Nand Vihar School and Veer Savarkar hospital. Project Utthaan, thus, lent a touch of green to some walls and a myriad of colours to others.
Enactus, LSR has also stepped forward to help the government in installing vertical gardens on metro pillars. The consort of women, along with the community of workers, proved their mettle by transforming the city from grey to green by successfully installing a vertical garden on a metro pillar at Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus Metro Station.
Apart from their association with government projects in a bid to curb the life-threatening problem of air pollution that has plagued NCR, Enactus LSR has also undertaken installations in cafes, houses, and offices in different parts of the region. Through its Project Utthaan, Enactus LSR has taken the initiative of creating awareness and implementing the solution to a grave predicament like air pollution in a very cost effective way. Alongside, they facilitate a community to increase their revenue as well as impart entrepreneurial skills to them.
“Enactus LSR aims, through its small but determined initiative, to reduce air pollution by installing vertical gardens in Delhi. In recognition of our concerted efforts to reduce the carbon footprint, the government has shown support by getting the vertical gardening installations on metro pillars, in municipal courts and government clinics. But this is just the beginning, we plan to make Delhi breathe again. We hope our initiative encourages others and provides the much needed spark to adopt green initiatives.” says Sana Bawa, the current president of Enactus LSR.
This ambitious team is leaving no stone unturned to achieve the goal of clean air and has been putting their shoulder to the wheel to transform each and every grey nook and cranny of the city into a green and healthy one.