Noida Before & After: This Environmentalist Replaced 4 Acres of Waste with 3000 Trees in 7 Months

In the silent corners of Greater Noida, near the Sector 16 Railway Bridge, Antram Sharma has been serving tea to the locals for the past 12 years. His hands move swiftly as he pours steaming cups of chai, all while engaging his customers in warm conversations.

But for years, the area surrounding his tea stall was far from inviting. What should have been a lively community space had turned into a disturbing sight. Heaps of garbage lay scattered across the land, irresponsibly dumped by passersby. Flies swarmed thick in the air, drawn by the rotting waste.

Antram clearly recalls the frustration. “There used to be so many flies around because of the waste. People kept dumping garbage here. I remember once getting into a heated argument with someone about to throw trash. The smell was unbearable, and it drove my customers away,” says the 40-year-old.

However, if you were to stand here today, you’d never guess its grim past. The air is clean, the flies are gone, and the sweet aroma of Antram’s chai now fills the space where the stench of garbage once reigned. Complaints of foul smell have vanished, and customers now return to his stall, basking in the fresh ambience. Antram’s sales have seen a heartening rise.

“Since I’m originally from Budaun, I live here in a makeshift tent near my tea shop. It used to be difficult to stay because of the waste, but now it feels much better,” he says.

Breathing life into dead land

So, what turned this neglected dumping ground into a clean, green stretch? The answer lies in one man’s mission. Environmentalist Vikrant Tongad, founder of the Noida-based non-profit organisation SAFE (Social Action for Forest and Environment), decided to take on the challenge.

Having worked on a similar problem in Ghaziabad earlier, Vikrant was no stranger to such challenges. When residents reached out to him for help, he visited the site several times. The reality was grim.

“This land was burdened with waste and remnants of illegal soil mining. There were uneven pits as deep as six to eight feet. The air hung heavy with toxic fumes from open garbage burning, which threatened the health of nearby residents. Concerns about respiratory problems, especially among asthma patients, were rampant,” says Vikrant.

But what troubled the local community most was the potential fate looming over their heads. They feared this site could turn into a replica of Delhi’s infamous Ghazipur landfill — an environmental catastrophe that has grown into a mountain of waste.

The hard road to restoring 10 acres

After verifying the scale of the problem — spanning 10 acres filled with municipal and industrial waste — Vikrant mobilised efforts through his non-profit, SAFE.

Taking this herculean challenge, he first secured the much-needed No Objection Certificate from the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority to transform the site. His strategy was clear: involve community volunteers, tap into CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funding, and use the organisational strength of his team.

The plan was meticulous. Work began with clearing 12 truckloads of waste, painstakingly shifting it to official municipal management sites. Another 1,600 kilograms of plastic waste were manually segregated, recycled, and even used creatively to make plastic benches.

“Land preparation was key,” says Vikrant. “We conducted soil sampling and levelled the land to fix the illegal mining pits and prepare the site for tree planting.”

With the ground ready, saplings of native trees like peepal, neem, and banyan were planted using the Miyawaki method, a Japanese technique that helps forests grow in just two to three years instead of decades. “We envisioned a green belt. To keep the plants alive, we hired a gardener and installed solar water pumps to save electricity while watering the saplings. We also cleaned one of the two water bodies. Now cleared of refuse, the pond is harvesting rainwater,” he explains.

As the rains arrived, the newly planted saplings thrived, breathing life into the once-neglected patch of land.

When locals become guardians of change

The success of the project didn’t rest on Vikrant alone. He is quick to credit the community for sparking and sustaining this change. “It was the community that first identified and alerted me about the problem. Now, they remain vigilant. They report to me directly if they see any trucks trying to dump waste, or when the gardener is on leave,” he says with a smile.

Among the most dedicated guardians is Antram. He took it upon himself to protect the site from further harm. He watches over the spot, ensuring no one contaminates it again. 

“Many people come here to plant trees. I make sure to check that no cattle damage them. With the rain, the trees look lush and green. There’s no garbage to be seen, no unpleasant odour. It’s refreshing now. Customers can now sit at my stall without foul smells bothering them. My business is also doing well because people are more willing to visit,” he shares proudly.

However, this journey was far from easy. Early funding rejections were disheartening, and convincing companies to invest in land restoration proved challenging. Many felt the work required too much effort with little visible outcome in the short term.

Still, Vikrant’s determination never faltered. He continued approaching corporate allies and individuals, explaining why this effort mattered. Eventually, with support through CSR funds and personal contributions, he managed to gather the resources needed. In total, transforming the site cost around ₹10 lakh — an amount that turned a barren wasteland into a thriving green space.

The change was profound.

Birdsong replaces garbage heaps

Where desolation once ruled, 3,000 trees of thriving peepal, neem, banyan, and ashoka now stand tall, restoring biodiversity and ecological balance. Birds now flutter and sing among leaves where heaps of waste once festered.

The revival began earlier this year. In just seven months, four acres of the 10-acre stretch have been transformed from a dumping ground into a thriving green zone. “The task is ongoing. We are currently working on the maintenance of the restored four acres and cleaning of the remaining six,” says Vikrant.

The change is already visible in daily life.

“The area is no longer an isolated wasteland. We’ve seen a complete stop in unauthorised waste dumping. People now come here for recreation. Children play, and elderly residents enjoy walking along pathways shaded by young trees,” shares Vikrant.

For Vikrant, this transformation carries deep personal meaning.

“Being a native of Noida, I feel an emotional connection to this land. It is disheartening when people mock our city for pollution. But not anymore. I strive to continue the work wherever I see such dumping grounds,” he smiles.

Be part of this change. Support Vikrant’s mission to restore green spaces through tree plantations and cleanliness drives. Contact +91-9310842473 or [email protected]