A 25-acre patch of degraded land in Nichla Mandwa village in Udaipur district has been transformed into a green oasis within four years, according to a post shared by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on X on Saturday.
Saxena, who headed the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) when the project was launched in 2021, said the initiative shows how “a small oasis of hope and regeneration in the arid landscape of Rajasthan has emerged as a replicable model for fighting desertification and infusing life to a dying earth.”
He stated that the effort began in July 2021 after villagers agreed to set aside Gram Sabha land for restoration. KVIC partnered with Ahmedabad-based NGO National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL) and, with support from local leaders, carried out mass plantation. He added that nearly 5,500 saplings were planted, including bamboo species brought from Assam and fruit-bearing trees such as guava, mango, moringa, and amla.
Outlining the story of its restoration, the LG highlighted that basic infrastructure was also developed to support the plantation, including a solar-powered borewell, a repaired check-dam, trenches to store rainwater, and a boundary wall funded through MPLAD resources. Kitchen waste from nearby hotels was used as mulch to improve soil health.
Saxena wrote that bamboo was chosen because of its “resilience, less water requirement and high water retention, that, in turn, helps raise water tables apart from emitting 30% more oxygen.” On his latest visit earlier this month, he observed squirrels, peacocks, butterflies, and dragonflies around the restored patch.
The project cost was about Rs 5 lakh, he noted, adding that bamboo plantations can also generate raw material for local cottage industries such as incense sticks and furniture.
Calling the effort “a humble token of gratitude to give back to nature,” Saxena expressed hope that similar community-driven models could be replicated in other degraded landscapes.