When butterflies come to cops' rescue

Hindustan Times

06-07-2025

MUMBAI: It's a rainy afternoon. Cops in many offices under the Navi Mumbai police commissionerate are hard at work. The control room is filled with frenzied clicks of keypads and phone rings. In the kennel, the dog squad trainer is trying to get three excited puppies -- two Dobermans and a German shepherd -- to stop barking. And inside the investigation room, the air is thick and tense as usual. DCP Sanjaykumar Patil often enjoys walking around at the park in the commissioner's office in Belapur. (Photo by Bachchan Kumar/ HT PHOTO) (HT PHOTO)
But at the police headquarter's 1,000-sq-ft butterfly garden, deputy commissioner Sanjaykumar Patil breaks into a smile when he sees a black butterfly. 'Did you see that?' he says excitedly while trying to look for other winged creatures. Patil spends a few minutes at this newest feature of the Belapur office every day before starting the day's work. 'It's a green, positive space, and I like walking around here,' he adds. A few other cops have their lunch on the benches here, while curious visitors stop by to read the plaques on the 60 different varieties of plants in the garden or the board that names the different species of butterflies along with their pictures that are spotted here.
The garden is one of the 10 such built across Navi Mumbai police stations under the project Butterfly Patrol, by NGO iNature Foundation, which is dedicated to urban biodiversity and citizen science, for Navi Mumbai police. The project was initiated in December last year and has since built and maintained butterfly gardens at stations in Kalamboli, Taloja, Nerul, Seawoods, Belapur and Panvel.
The purpose is manifold – to create a green cover at police stations, which prevents people littering, and build habitats for butterflies, an important bug of the city's biodiversity. 'No one likes going to police stations. They are perceived as stressful, dreaded spaces,' says V Subhalaxmi, founder of the INature Foundation. Also, one is aware of the impact of long hours and dealing with difficult situations on the force's mental health. 'We know that gardens and butterflies help reduce stress and create a pleasant environment. So, if there was one place that needed it the most, it was the police stations,' she adds.
The Navi Mumbai police agreed too as it aligned with commissioner Milind Bharambe's vision to make cop stations friendly places for citizens to visit and seek help, says Patil. The Navi Mumbai police helped the NGO in the survey of the building and maintenance of the project. 'A lot of people have to wait at police stations for various reasons; these gardens offer a respite from the grind,' says Vikas Ghodke, senior inspector, NRI EMC (Evidence Management Centre). He has placed a few chairs for members of his staff and visitors to sit here.
At the Taloja MIDC station, the garden is often occupied by women and visitors who are minors. 'They prefer sitting there than inside the station since it is cooler, green and has a more positive vibe than the concrete rooms of a cop station,' says senior police inspector Pravin Bhagat. The garden also helps increase oxygen levels in this station situated in an industrial area surrounded by chemical factories. Hence, Bhagat himself waters the plants every day.
Even the foundation's perception survey has recorded the same sentiments.
The gardens, varying from 250-square-feet to 1000-square-feet in size, have about 300 plants and small water bodies that attract butterflies. There are both nectar-giving and house plants for these pollinators to feed on and seek shelter, such as tulsi, lemongrass, curry leaves, champa, sonchampa and other commonly available plants.
The foundation also records the number of butterflies across these gardens at regular intervals. 'Out of the around 140 species of butterflies found in Mumbai, these gardens collectively have 40,' says Subhalaxmi. These include Common Mormon, Lemon Immigrant, Common Pierrot, Tailed Jay, Common Crow, Blue Tiger and others. The foundation has also seen a 40% increase in the number of butterflies visiting these gardens since the start of the project.
Butterflies are excellent pollinators and are known to help increase the city's green cover. 'Also, I am immediately de-stressed when I watch them,' says Subhalaxmi. Patil seconds her. 'It's nice to be here before starting the day, even if it's just for a couple of minutes. The garden seems to have added a sense of calm and beauty at the station,' he says.
Subhalaxmi shares her team is presently working with the Western Railways and other police stations under the Mumbai police commissionerate to create similar spaces.