A plant kingdom in the heart of Visakhapatnam

Once a barren, lifeless piece of land in the heart of Visakhapatnam, the Biodiversity Park today is a living laboratory of about 2,000 plant species. One of its kind in Andhra Pradesh, its transformation into a thriving botanical hub in the premises of Rani Chandramani Devi (RCD) Government Hospital is an incredible ecological metamorphosis. Surrounding this oasis of green, are concrete structures — some under construction — signifying the rapid spread of the city’s urbanisation.Inside the Biodiversity Park, one is greeted by the symphonic tweet of birds, a colourful mosaic of plants and fluttering swarms of butterflies.

Spread across three acres, the Biodiversity Park came alive because of the efforts of a team of committed eco-warriors called Dolphin Nature Conservation Society (DNCS). The society, that celebrated its 20 years of existence last week, is spearheaded by M Ram Murthy, a retired professor.