The gardening competitions at the ongoing flower show, Noida Vasant Utsav, started yesterday at the Ramleela Grounds, Sector 21A. This three-day-long annual event is being organised jointly by Noida Floriculture Society and Noida Authority. Prizes in 40 different categories are up for grabs. Meet some of the winners from the city:
Cdr Ved Kumar Sharma (73), a resident of M-block in Jalvayu Vihar, Sector 25, won the first prize in the category of Roadside Garden Greening Wasteland for the third time in a row. He said that 12 years ago people used to use the land which is now the garden for dumping waste. Then, in 2006, he started work on converting the nearly 500 sq m wasteland into a greenery garden. Now, the garden has become the apple of Sharma’s eye. “The garden has thousands of varieties of plants like oxygen-friendly plants, herbal plants, evergreen plants among others,” said an enthusiastic Sharma.
Another resident of Sector 25 was adjudged second in the same category. Vandana Saxena, a biology teacher in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Delhi Cantt, started developing the area below her flat three years ago and entered the contest for the first time. “My garden is extremely eco-friendly. Sometimes visitors leave back various curios like small statues of Gods and then I use these trinkets to decorate the garden. Every seasonal and non-seasonal flower has been used for decorating the garden,” Saxena said. Noida news
In Institute Garden category, Shaheed Smarak Sansthan bagged the first prize once again. Col Mohinder Singh and his dedicated team have been working hard to bring the garden up to the standard that was even appreciated by Air Chief Marshal, Birender Singh Dhanoa, during their Annual Wreath Laying Ceremony on February 16.
