A new environmental project at Navi Mumbai's police stations has created butterfly gardens

Police staff including Vikas Ghodke, Senior Inspector, NRI Police Station (in white) join the plantation efforts. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The secret is to not chase the butterflies, but to take care of your garden so that the butterflies come," wrote Brazilian poet Mário de Miranda Quintana in 1946. Quintana's widely quoted poem Borboletas (Butterflies) might not have been about the winged insects in the literal sense, but 10 police stations across Navi Mumbai have put his philosophy into practice. The Butterfly Patrol Project undertaken by iNatureWatch Foundation in partnership with the Navi Mumbai Police Department inaugurated butterfly gardens in Kharghar, Nerul, Panvel and Belapur among other spots yesterday. The winged guests are not far behind.

(From left) Sanjay Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police Navi Mumbai; Milind Bharambe, Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai; Dr V Shubhalaxmi; Sanjay Yenpure, Joint Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai at the inauguration of the butterfly garden in Belapur

"When I visited my neighbourhood police station for passport related formalities nearly five years ago, I realised how daunting and intimidating the experience can be, even when you're there for the right reasons," chuckles Dr V Shubhalaxmi, founder, iNatureWatch. That's set to change with the new 500-sq ft gardens, each hosting 300 plants of nectar species like pentas, marigold, zinnia, periwinkle, and host plants like lemon, curry leaves, and bryophyllum sourced from nurseries in Karjat and Kalyan. "We studied the existing flora in the areas to determine which species would fit the soil conditions. Planning was the bigger challenge, execution came naturally," Shubhalaxmi admits.

The butterfly garden at Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai Headquarters in Belapur

The magic seems to have worked both ways near the Non-Resident Indians (NRI) Complex in Nerul. Vikas Ghodke, Senior Police Inspector, NRI Police Station was witness to one of the last butterfly gardens that reached completion last week in the premises. "When my team walks into the police station now, we have a bright green sight to look forward to. It might not seem like much, but a good start to the day translates to better mood throughout the day," admits Ghodke, who also rolled his sleeves up to help the team plant the saplings last Friday. "I hail from Solapur in south Maharashtra, where farming and gardening have been a part of the daily routine. It was almost nostalgic when I picked up the shovel to help the team here in the city," he reveals.

The team readies the site for plantation

Sanjay Patil, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Navi Mumbai, agrees that the gardens are a win-win in more ways than one. "In addition to boosting our morale, the gardens will also help address the lack of green cover in our city," he suggests. Shubhalaxmi explains the far-reaching benefits, "Butterflies often migrate in large flutters. Gardens such as these become their pitstops where they stop, take a breather, feed on nectar and mate. With most police stations being located along busy roads for convenience, it will also help curb the air pollution in these areas."

The butterfly garden at NRI Police Station's Evidence Management Centre reaches completion after a four-day effort by the team

As is the case with any ambitious project in the city, maintenance remains the decider for this project's longevity. As a head start, the Foundation has deployed one caretaker each for the gardens who are trained in basic upkeep. "For a period of one year, we will conduct monthly visits to the sites to determine the condition and butterfly activity. Following that, the gardens will be handed over to the police stations to maintain," Shubhalaxmi shares, adding that plans to bring the project to police stations in Mumbai are in the works.

For now, things are looking up. "When I stepped into work this morning, I made a detour to the garden and I was surprised to see that a butterfly had already laid
eggs on one of the host plants," reveals Patil. Perhaps amidst all the deafening whirs and thuds of the city's infrastructural evolution, the Brazilian poet's words still ring true.

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Do It Yourself

Open areas in your apartment complex, office compound or school premises can make for ideal butterfly garden sites. Dr Shuhalaxmi gives us a handy guide.

. Ensure you have at least 500 sq ft of usable area. Smaller areas might fail to create impact
. Choose a mix of host and nectar plants. Easy picks include curry leaf, lemon, guava, hibiscus, marigold, and portulaca plants that are easy to maintain
. Plant the saplings in closely packed patterns. Butterflies prefer dense foliage
. Wait for the butterflies to arrive