GREATER NOIDA, July 15 -- A 4-acre extinct water body in Roza Yakubpur, which had become an informal dumping site, has undergone an ecological revival. It was once a choked pond buried under layers of garbage and plastic in Greater Noida West. Today, it's a thriving green space teeming with biodiversity. The project, spearheaded under a corporate social responsibility initiative by Noida Power Company Ltd (NPCL) in partnership with Greater Noida authority, and NGO SAFE, has been rejuvenated into a water body with an island designed to draw aquatic life, along with a biodiversity park planted with over 1,500 native trees. The site remained in neglect for years, forcing locals to keep on urging concerned authorities to revive it. According to NPCL spokesperson Manoj Jha, over 16 tons of waste, including 1.5 tons of plastic, was removed from the pond site. "Recovered plastic was recycled and used to make benches and chairs, reportedly preventing 4.5-ton carbon dioxide emissions." The pond is now rejuvenated into a 1-acre water body. The remaining three acres have been developed into a biodiversity park, planted with over 1,500 native trees. Together, the site is now projected to sequester 33 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually while also functioning as a rainwater catchment system that can conserve 4.1 million litres annually, said officials. The restoration work was started in January and the site now serves as an urban green lung, improving air quality, replenishing groundwater, and providing refuge for native and migratory birds. A solar-powered irrigation system supports the new plantation, saving about 5,475 energy units annually and cutting further emissions. "The transformation we're seeing is the result of sustained efforts and community concern," said SAFE founder Vikrant Tongad....