The Hindu : New Delhi News : Rashtrapati Bhavan to have a Palm Garden

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Saturday, Feb 16, 2008
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Rashtrapati Bhavan to have a Palm Garden

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Proposal already cleared by the President’s Office

The President had planted a jamun tree
Has also planted cypress (saru) and tulips

NEW DELHI: The sprawling President’s Estate that already boasts a Herbal Garden, a Nakshatra Garden, a Spiritual Garden and a Tactile Garden for the visually impaired will soon have a new patch of green -- a Palm Garden that will have on display an assortment of palm trees.

The proposal has already been given the go-ahead by the President’s Office and the garden staff is now working out the details of the garden that will be the newest attraction at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The Palm Garden will be President Pratibha Patil’s second gift to Rashtrapati Bhavan. She had planted a Jamun tree to inaugurate the Nakshatra Garden on her birthday this past December.

According to sources, while the President -- who is fond of the fragrant “mogra” and the colour “basanti” -- has planted cypress (saru) and tulips, her husband Devisingh Shekhawat is interested in the Herbal Garden and has planted a “rudraksha” in the Spiritual Garden.

Apart from increasing and maintaining the green cover at the President’s House, efforts are also being made to make the place eco-friendly.

“Steps will be taken to segregate waste generated inside Rashtrapati Bhavan and use of plastics will be greatly reduced. The President wants Rashtrapati Bhavan to be seen as an example of an eco-friendly unit. The residential units inside the estate would be encouraged to segregate their waste,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan source explained.

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