Greetings on World Environment Day

by June 4, 2016 Environment

To all our friends,

Puttenahalli Lake, May 2016

​

For many of us, every day is Environment Day. Still, it feels good to see the whole world pause on 5th June every year and focus on raising awareness about environmental issues and concerns.

From the World Environment Day website

“This year’s theme for WED – Go Wild for Life – encourages you to celebrate all those species under threat and take action of your own to help safeguard them for future generations. This can be about animals or plants that are threatened within your local area as well as at the national or global level – many local extinctions will eventually add up to a global extinction! Whoever you are, and wherever you live, show zero-tolerance for the illegal trade in wildlife in word and deed, and make a difference.”

Some of you may be aware that I am currently not based in Bangalore. I was there recently for the summer holidays and managed a few visits to the lake. It was thrilling, to say the least, to see so much water. Also, I finally got to see some of the birds and flowers at the lake, that I had seen only in photographs shared by others. I spent a fair amount of time watching the beautiful Spot-billed Ducks and took lots of pictures. Some of these are in my blog posts… birds and flowers that may be considered commonplace, but important in the lake ecosystem. For those who have not had a chance to visit the lake, here is some of what you will see when you do.    

https://arathimy.wordpress.com/2016/05/25/residents-at-puttenahalli-lake/ https://arathimy.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/in-bloom-at-puttenahalli-lake/

Here’s hoping that the theme for this year’s WED stays with you for ever. Read more on the WED website here.p

Best wishes,

Arathi

(for the PNLIT Team)

Sections:

About Arathi Manay Yajaman

Arathi is a market researcher who loves to run and write. She has been actively involved in issues that affect citizens, including apartment management, waste management and lakes. She used to live in Mumbai and is now based in Bengaluru, working as a Community Anchor with Citizen Matters.
Read more by Arathi Manay Yajaman

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

The future of Bengaluru’s lakes: How to ensure effective community-led restoration

by and September 3, 2026 Environment
Clear bye-laws, neighbourhood participation and NGO accountability can save the city's ecological spaces.

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)…

Continue reading

Similar Story

The city and its lakes: Decoding the decline of Bengaluru’s waterbirds

by , , , , and September 2, 2026 Environment
Analysis of 14 Bengaluru lakes shows migratory waterbirds are disappearing faster than residents due to poor urban lake management.

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…

Continue reading