Reclaiming lost spaces!

Aishwarya Raj has transformed Himachal's degraded landscapes into vibrant eco-tourism hubs by tackling waste, mining, and pollution through innovative, low-cost restoration projects that blend sustainability, community involvement, and environmental awareness

- ANIL SWARUP

The occasion was Nexus of Good Annual Awards, 2024 and one of the winners was this bright and young forester, Aishwarya Raj from Himachal Pradesh. He has managed to accomplish something that is a perfect example of Nexus of Good.

A persistent environmental challenge in mountain ecosystems is that of garbage dumpyards causing severe degradation in forests & rivers (Beas/Parvati in Kullu, Yamuna in Paonta Sahib), also attracting anti-social elements & making surroundings unsafe for locals & tourists. There is the menace of mining in Yamuna along Paonta Sahib bordering 4 states. Degradation is an ongoing issue as unhindered tourism and development take place, wherein the brunt of the same is often faced by nature.

Restoration

Low cost, aesthetic, green zone creation transforming erstwhile garbage dumping areas to create safe ecosystems for nearby communities as well as tourists in the form of responsible ecotourism avenues and abating water/soil/air pollution by ecologically sound interventions, including native species tree planting (the multi-canopy layered forests concept), IEC content creation, and recycling & upcycling techniques for the creation of nature parks and green zones.

In this process, in his stint as DCF in 3 postings at Parvati, Kullu, and Paonta Sahib (ranging from 11 months to 2 years) in Himachal Pradesh since 2020, Aishwarya Raj executed works for 8 different eco-restoration projects and additionally 2 restorations of dilapidated structures into nature museums. Various tracts of degraded land along the 3 rivers were identified and converted into green zones/nature parks through low-cost modeling of eco-restoration & plantation activities.

The list of the various projects includes

• Sangam Swarnim Vatika, Parvati,

• Yamuna Riverfront Park, Paonta

• Miyawaki Green Zone, Bhatanwali

• Beas Bihal Nature Park, Manali