Vasanthi shares a little about her background – working in hospitals as a link worker, and in Mythrei, an NGO, prior to joining Hasirudala.
She first started a Compost Santhe in Banashankari II Stage. She created awareness among those who came about how kitchen waste could be converted into compost using drums, coco pit, etc.
Vasanthi talks about the challenges she faced with respect to trying to spread the message of waste segregation and composting. Listen in to know more.
Citizen lake groups have historically played an important role in protecting the city’s lakes. The erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has a long history of engaging with citizen groups. Citizen-led lake groups have long played a crucial role in acting as “watchdogs” of Bangalore’s lakes. They are often the “first responders” to problems that emerge in water bodies. They have raised alarm bells around illegal encroachments and often help coordinate between agencies to monitor rejuvenation efforts. They foster community awareness on lakes and are often able to innovate new solutions. The most recent version is the Kere Mitra (Lake‑Friend)…
Lying at an altitude of 920 metres in the rain-shadow area of the Western Ghats, Bengaluru’s geography and climate do not support a perennial natural water source. Instead, a north-south ridge divides the city into three primary valleys: Hebbal, Koramangala-Challagatta, and Vrishabhavathi. Rainwater draining down these slopes feeds a network of small streams — forming a cascading lake system that the city historically relied on for its water supply. During the Open City biodiversity datajam held in December 2025, our group examined the ecological trends around Bengaluru's lakes. Data on insects, spiders and flora on platforms like iNaturalist were insufficient…