Lakes

Over the past few years, we've done many things to raise funds for PNLIT, and we've realised that fund-raising is quite a challenge. To a social-cause fund-raiser who may knock on your door, the most disheartening experience is when you express regret and shut the door. Donations apart, we have often found it difficult to get people to part with Rs 220 for a PNLIT calendar, or even Rs 30, in exchange for a PNLIT wristband.     However, there are many generous souls out there, generous both in terms of time and monetary support, who share our dreams, who believe…

With young students like Anvitha Rao and Joiston Pereira taking the initiative, the annual Waterfowl Census, which had been suspended some time ago due to lack of support by the authorities, was revived again on some of the lakes of Bangalore. On Saturday, 26th Dec, 2015, the census was started at Agara Lake. Several concerned citizens,birders and environmentalists participated. On Saturday, lakes along Sarjapura Road were covered; on Sunday, the focus was on Hosur Road.  While doing the bird counts, participants were also asked to input data on the condition of the lakes. Here is an update from Joiston Pereira:…

Posting below, a mail from Anvitha S (Undergraduate student, St Joseph's College) on <bngbirds@yahoogroups.com>, requesting for volunteers for the Waterbird Survey 2015-16. We are reviving the waterbird survey which was conducted between 1987 - 1996 by the Bird Watcher's Field Club Of Bangalore. We request experienced birdwatchers and others to contribute to this effort.  In the 80s and 90s the Mid-winter waterfowl survey proved to be a great experience for novices and specialists in sharing and learning skills. Since then the water scape of Bangalore has changed dramatically. So an initiative is planned to revive waterbird survey in atleast the surviving…

Kere Habba 2016! The first of the new Kere Habba season will be at Kaikondrahalli Lake on 9th January 2016. Lots has been planned for the day: - be regaled with story sessions for children- learn to play traditional games- hone up your general knowledge for a quiz- run a relay race for the lake (details below)- talk to farmers about natural farming- interact with native cow breeders to find out about medicinal and general benefits of our Indian cow breeds- test your mettle by swinging and balancing on a rope course- participate in cool science experiments revolving around water-…

In July 2005, when 900 mm of monsoonal rains hammered Mumbai for a 24-hour period and wreaked havoc on the city’s infrastructure and housing, political leaders in Karnataka reassured us that Bengaluru was immune to flooding given its inland location some 3,000 ft above sea-level on the Deccan Plateau. Those assurances proved foolhardy. In October that year, over half of Bengaluru’s road network was inundated and thousands of homes and commercial establishments damaged following four days of unusually strong monsoonal rainfall. Floods in Bengaluru during October 2005, in Bommanahalli area. Pic: Champaka Rajagopal Ten years later, Chennai continues to reel…

Our Puttenahalli lake is a little world in itself, of the best kind because it includes birds, butterflies, trees, flowers and more. Showcasing these is our calendar for the new year, "Life at Puttenahalli Lake."  Take a sneak peek at the gorgeous photos taken by experienced photographers who are also from our neighbourhood. Each of these photos shows the miracle that is Nature. We are printing a limited number of copies. If you would like to have a copy or two, or more, please place your order in advance.    Calendar details Format - Desk top  Size - 5.7" x…

The unprecedented heavy rains of the past few weeks has exposed the vulnerabilty of our erstwhile "City of Lakes" yet again... the vulnerability to flooding, primarily due to haphazard growth and inappropriate land use changes. The filling up of several lakes and the exploitation of the ones left back, coupled with similar mistreatment of the land in the immediate vicinity of their catchment areas has had undesired effects on Bangalore.     Mahadevpura Parisara Samrakshane Mattu Abhivrushi Samiti (MAPSAS) has been working very hard over the past few years to keep Kasavanahalli and Kaikondarahalli lakes, among others, alive and thriving. The…

Inviting nature lovers to plant 300 saplings at Kasavanahalli Lake.  This is the fourteenth lake where SayTrees will be doing tree plantation. Join this vibrant tree-planting group in its effort to increase the green cover of Bangalore and also save our lakes.  Date : 21st November 2015 Time : 8:30 A.M. Venue : Kasavanahalli Lake, Harlur Road Contact : Durgesh @ 9008659007   Please register at: http://bit.ly/1WYZNx1    

Update from People's Campaign for Right to Water-Karnataka <cawpka@gmail.com> 24th Nov 2015 The National Law School of India University & The People’s campaign for Right to Water invites you to a brain storming on   EVOLVING ROBUST LEGAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SAFEGUARDS FOR SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF WATER BODIES  10 AM to 1 PM 26 November 2015at the National Law School of India University, Nagarbhavi Bangalore The discussants includeShri. Ranjan Chatterjee IAS, Expert Member of National Green TribunalProf. Ramesh, NLSIUProf. Sairam Bhat, NLSIUShri. Ramacharya Puranik, Deputy Director, LDAShri. Rajendran Prabhakar, PCRW – Karnataka The brain storming is being held to collectively and urgently address the issue of the…

Last week, former Deputy CM and opposition leader KS Eshwarappa said Chief Minister Siddaramiah's statements have hurt the sentiments of a community. Dear Mr Eshwarappa, you are right about sentiments hurt, but it's not related to food or culture. Our sentiments are boiling - over the craters on the road that threaten our lives every single day, over the water stagnating in drains that's creating colonies of dengue everyday, over the unbelievable mess of traffic that keeps us all immobile on the roads for several hours in a day, over the highly polluted air that never lets us breathe easy,…