Articles by Arathi Manay Yajaman

Over the last few months, several jobs related to the rejuvenation of Allalasandra Lake have progressed. Yelahanka United Environment Association (YUVA), the association that has been working closely with the BBMP for this lake has had multiple meetings with Government officials and BWSSB for stoppage of sewage entering  the lake through storm water drains. The short term solution in place is a huge sand bund to stop sewage entering the lake. For the long term, BWSSB has agreed to provide a mini Sewage Treatment Plant for which the DPR work is going on. Pics courtesy Jagadeesh, YUVA The horticulture and pathway…

On Saturday 21st Jun 2014, a group of fourteen young employees from WPA World Class Services (India), Koramangala spent a couple of hours out in the sun at Puttenahalli Lake, away from the air-conditioned rooms of their office. Many had come from the east of Bangalore, volunteering their time, to help with the upkeep of the lake area.    After a brief introduction by PNLIT trustee Nupur Jain, they set to work to clean up the long stretch along the Nataraja Layout - Coconut Grove side, guided by our neighbourhood volunteer Rekha George. They were an enthusiastic group with everyone looking for the…

As a part of the lake awareness campaign, a tour of Jakkur Lake has been organised by the Narasipura Lake team. All are welcome. Date: Sunday 29th June 2014 Time: 7:15am (at Jakkur lake near STP gate) (http://wikimapia.org/4129931/Jakkur-Lake-Paradise-for-Birds )  Water expert Mr Vishwanath will help you understand lake rejuvenation and its effect on biodiversity. Please make your own arrangements to reach Jakkur Lake. Those going from Vidyaranyapura and Doddabommasandra can meet at 6:30am near Venkateshwara Temple, IEHCS Layout to plan car/bike pooling and proceed to Jakkur Lake. Some guidelines1. Carry your own water & light snacks, avoid plastic as there are no bins by the…

Please join the Arekere (Dorsani Palya) Reserve Forest team on Sunday, 29th June 2014 at 7:00 a.m. The task at hand will be to continue cleaning up from where the volunteers stopped last week. For the exact location, please see the earlier post here. Children are most welcome to go along with their parents/ grandparents.  The Arekere (Dorsani Palya) Reserve Forest    Mr Saravanan, who is coordinating the cleanup efforts, had this to say about the start they made on 21st June: It is quite interesting to see our first baby steps towards this cleanup drive. It was a successful and motivating…

    Read about the efforts at Vibhutipura Lake in an earlier post here.  

After planting a few hundreds of trees at Kasavahalli Lake and Begur Lake this month, Say Trees is now going to plant saplings close to Bellandur Lake. The target is 4000 saplings in next 3 weeks, starting on 5th July 2014.  Say Trees is looking for nature lovers and corporates to join hands and to help achieve this massive task.Individuals who wish to participate, please fill the form below.https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AqW7DMKbmz7yPjcRj6k-kcJNHlNEqgkUdXxi6KpGdfY/viewformVenue: near Bellandur Lake (close to Koramangala, Bangalore)Date: 5th July 2014For more details, please contact: Kapil +91-9886993070 / Sumant +91-8867391150   

Report received from Arvind Keerthi At the tree-planting event at Munnekolala Lake (14th June 1014), it took a hundred+ volunteers less than two hours to set in soil 250 saplings! We are pleased by the unstinted support shown by the BBMP, whose Chief Engineer (Lakes) Shri B. V. Satish and Conservator of Forests, Shri Jagannatha Rao were in attendance, and indeed made possible the entire exercise. The BBMP was of course not the only wind at our backs - citizen-volunteers from the Munnekolala Lake Rejuvenation Association (MLRA), as well as United Way of Bengaluru tirelessly planned and executed the work…

Take a walk around Narasipura 2 Lake in the late evening and you will not miss hearing the brilliant Narasipura Amphibian Harmonic Orchestra! Yes, with the recent rains, the frogs and toads are out and about. While the "Life Cycle of the Frog" is commonly taught in school, how many of us actually know beyond the spawn, the tadpole and its shrinking tail?     An important part of the food chain, frogs and toads are considered to be very good environmental indicators. This means that having frogs and toads in an area tells us that the environment is healthy for them,…

Join the Begur Environment & Development Trust (BEDT) and Begur /Singasandra residents (BBMP Ward 192) for a massive tree plantation drive. Date: 22nd June 2014 (Sunday)Time: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.Venue: Begur Lake entrance next to Lake Point Tower Apartment (Opposite Subhash Nagar Main road), South Bangalore Planned schedule:9:30 a.m.      –  Assembly10:00 a.m.    –  Welcome and Introduction10:05 a.m.    –  Begur History (addressing about the culture)10:15 a.m.    –  Post card distribution (sending letters to BDA commissioner)10:20 a.m.    –  Lake rejuvenation and protection awareness10:30 a.m.    –  Unveiling of Citizen Centric Begur Lake Development Plan10:35 a.m.    –  Tree Plantating11:30 a.m.    –  Vote of Thanks For any clarifications/assistance, please feel free to call:Prasad 9845014801, Shaji 94498 14441 (MC Road area), Prashanth…

Today is memorable for many of us! Friends of Lakes, in association with local corporators and residents have planted more than 200 saplings in Vidyaranyapura Lake. – Mr Gopala Krishna The event was so beautiful. I kept walking around the lake pinching myself to ensure that I was not in a dream! – xxx These were the sentiments expressed by residents from the Narasipura 2 Lake area, about the tree planting event held at Narasipura 2 Lake (Sri Venkata Swamy Temple Kere) on 15th June, 2014. From six in the morning, the place was abuzz with people – dads and…