A Park For 2010 Visitors, Trees From All Participating Nations Will Be Planted Here

THE ATHLETES will, of course, be there, striving to bring glory to the countries they represent. Fluttering in stadiums and along roads will also be the flags of participating countries.

Well, visiting countries will be represented by much more than just their athletes and flags during the Commonwealth Games next year -- like, for instance, by trees.

Amid all the talk about climate change, the New Delhi Municipal Council or NDMC has come up with the perfect idea: a Commonwealth Games park where trees representing the 71 countries that will participate in the event will be planted.

The park, spread over 2.5 acre, is coming up at the junction of Africa Avenue road and Brigadier Hoshiar Singh Marg.

" We will plant such trees that originated in those nations.

These trees will be flown in from those countries. Trees representing a country will be planted at one place," an NDMC official said.

Trees such as eucalyptus representing Australia and pelto phorum representing South Africa will be planted among others.

NDMC officials said the saplings will be planted in patches earmarked for the participating countries.

One portion of the park will also be dedicated to trees from Caribbean countries such as Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Jamaica, among others.

" To give true meaning to the park, we have thought of this concept. It will be a delight for the delegates when they visit the park during the Commonwealth Games," the official said.

It would be a truly green park in the sense that even the boundary will be of green hedges rising up to 10 feet and not bricks. " Visitors will hardly see any concrete, which will be used where it is absolutely necessary such as the walkways," the official added.

There will be more than just trees at the park. There will be flowerbeds, a butterfly park where flowers that attract butterflies will be planted, four huge lawns, a lily pond and wooden benches for visitors.

Greeting the visitors will also be Shera, the Games mascot.

The NDMC is spending Rs 60 lakh on the project. According to the NDMC official, a rectangular vacant land of the council was being developed for the park. Currently, digging work is going on and new soil layers are being laid.

" We want to show our best to the visitors, so we have put our best horticulture employees on the job and had the best people conceptualise the park," the official said. More than 50 people are working on the project right now.

The new green cover of the park will be considerably helpful in reducing the pollution of surrounding areas such as Sarojini Nagar, Kidwai Nagar and Chanakyapuri, among others.

The park is expected to be ready one month before the Commonwealth Games.

" We wanted more land for the park but were able to get only 2.5 acre. Still, it will be a treat for the eyes," the official said