New Delhi: Ingersoll Rand India Limited along with SEEDS (Sustainable Ecological & Environmental Development Society) and GMDA (Gurugram Municipal Development Authority), teamed up to build Lake View Park adjacent to Wazirabad Lake in Gurugram, Haryana, with the aim of mobilizing nature to render urban areas more resilient to the threat of climate change. The park covers 2 acres of land and is surrounded by high rise buildings, a waterbody of 18 acres and a few vacant lands amidst the burgeoning urban sprawl.
Nature-based solutions such as Lake View Park can not only tap into the earth’s carbon sequestering powers, but can provide significant flood mitigation along with other benefits. Cities face a myriad of social, economic and environmental challenges expected to exacerbate by increasing urbanization and the impacts of climate change. Strategically designing environmental features in open spaces create urban resilience and deliver a wide range of ecosystem services.
“Cities are susceptible to climate-related threats and suffer from the urban heat island effect and localized flooding. Urban greening is an effective mitigation option for climate change. Nature based solutions such as parks, gardens and green walls are a crucial way to tackle flash floods and city heat. Given the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on already vulnerable communities, providing green buffers such as the Lake View Park in urban neighborhoods has never been more important. With the invaluable support of GMDA and Ingersoll Rand India, we have been able to design an effective urban green space,” says Dr Manu Gupta, Co-Founders, SEEDS.
The park is designed to not only operate as a carbon sink, but also to provide visitors with a playground and multi-gym equipment for recreational exercises. Benches have been installed for visitors to rest and socialise in the park. There is a prefabricated toilet complex installed along with specially designed walkways that can be used for jogging or walking. Lake View Park which is open to residents will not only enhance social cohesion and but will help in urban regeneration.
Amar Kaul, Chairman, Ingersoll Rand India Limited expressed his thoughts about this community development and environmental sustainability CSR initiative, “Ingersoll Rand has always been cognizant of the environment, climate change risk and other sustainability related issues and continues to be at the forefront of finding solutions for the larger good of the communities. We strongly believe in nurturing the future generation and encouraging an environment of equity for marginalized sections of society. Our partnerships with several not-for-profit organizations, SEEDS being one of them, helps us to contribute to actions that create positive impact. This year with the implementation of Nature-Based solutions through Lake View Park in Gurugram, we have taken our role of a sustainability-minded, industry leader further.”
The inauguration ceremony took place at the Lake View Park, Wazirabad, Sector-53, Gurugram where several dignitaries —Subhash Yadav, Additional CEO, GMDA; Mr. Amar Kaul, Chairman, Ingersoll Rand India Limited along with Dr. Manu Gupta— were present along with people from the local communities.
(India CSR)
