OREANDA-NEWS. February 6, 2012. As part of its commitment to flora and fauna conservation, Tata Power, India’s largest integrated private power company, has created ecological hotspots around its three hydro stations in Raigad. These hotspots for more than four decades have played a significant role in driving environmental awareness and interest among nature lovers, especially from urban areas.

The company’s ecological garden at Walwhan, Lonavla, has beautiful blooms which compete in various flower shows organised in and around Mumbai. Recently at the 53rd Mumbai Rose Show jointly organised by the Mumbai Rose Society and the Maharashtra Nature Park, Tata Power’s blooms bagged 20 prizes. The company participated in various categories of cut flowers such as colours, fragrance, shape, flower arrangements, and others.

The ‘Queen of the Show’ Award which is awarded to the 2nd best flower in the entire competition was also won by Tata Power.

Held at the Maharashtra Nature Park, the show was inaugurated by RG Rajan, managing director, RCF. Several prestigious organisations such as Godrej and RCF, along with major nursery growers across the country, also participated in the competition. Experts from the field of roses were the judges for the competition.

Speaking on the awards, Mahesh Paranjpe, head, hydros, said, “We are very happy to win so many awards and are proud of our team of gardeners at Mulshi and Walwhan. Our flora conservation efforts are a benchmark in the country and we are committed to this cause. The company has always tried to motivate youngsters and create a platform for showcasing their talents.”

Tata Power has taken many initiatives to conserve flora and fauna at its hydro stations. Chief among them are conservation of various endangered species of medicinal and exotic plants, afforestration through indigenous species; collaboration with Ela Foundation to document it through books, Birds of Lonavla and Khandala and The Orchids of the Northern Western Ghats and conservation of the mighty mahaseer. Taking cognisance of the alarming decline in the population of mahaseer, Tata Power undertook a massive mahaseer conservation initiative in 1975 and set up a breeding centre at Lonavla. It is the only breeding centre till date which breeds and supplies fingerlings to various states in India — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Rajasthan, AP, Haryana, and Assam. Further, post in-depth research and conservation of mahaseer for the past 35 years, Tata Power has established standard techniques of breeding the mahaseer species and has bred several lakh fingerlings.