Lakes

The devastating floods of 2015 were a big jolt for Chennai. Since then there have been many conscious efforts in the city to start a dialogue around conservation of the extremely precious, and threatened, natural resource — water. Numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Resident Welfare Associations (RWA), activists and even ordinary citizens have started working towards raising awareness about waterbodies, reclaiming and rejuvenating them. To discuss the problems surrounding water, OpenAct (a forum to discuss solutions for problems surrounding social entrepreneurship, environment and sustainability) along with Goethe Institut in Chennai on 27 February 2018 hosted the confab as part of the…

Activists and citizens in Bengaluru are incensed that the government just dissolved the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) without even a discussion in the assembly, on March 1, 2018. The Legislative Assembly quietly passed the Tank Development Act when the members were not even present in full strength. It came as a surprise, nay shock, that the lakes needed to be handed over to the Minor Irrigation Department (MID), rather than the environment ministry, which it is intended for. The act is expected to come into effect in the next three months. A KLCDA official says that he…

Even as the large water bodies in the city struggle to keep encroachments at bay, the smaller ponds and kalyanis that have been nameless but have been part of the city’s water systems historically are losing the battle. One such nameless pond that maybe lost to encroachment is situated near the Don Bosco College at Mysore Road.  While the encroachment (as we have seen it) measures about 40 X 20 meters, the kalyani is about 6 to 8 times bigger. It abets the rear compound wall of the educational institution and the water body has a cemetery near by which…

A recent article on British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) website listed Bengaluru among the 11 cities that will go out of water soon. The article said: " Local officials in the southern Indian city have been bamboozled by the growth of new property developments following Bangalore's rise as a technological hub and are struggling to manage the city's water and sewage systems. To make matters worse, the city's antiquated plumbing needs an urgent upheaval; a report by the national government found that the city loses over half of its drinking water to waste. Like China, India struggles with water pollution and…

Our preferred imagination of an urban lake is mostly blue water with a well-maintained walking track all along, some trees on the periphery and some birds on them. That imagination is of course broken when the lake stinks, froths, has plastic strewn around. And when we see overgrown typha reeds in the lake, floating hyacinth and alligator weed, when the lake turns from blue to green, that imagination is broken. And then we want to rejuvenate the lake and turn it blue again. Lower Ambalipura lake / wetland If we were to step back and think why is it that…

It is sad, but common knowledge today that the city’s sewage ultimately ends up in the nearest lake or water body. In principle, the sewage from our homes should go to the pumping station via an underground sewerage connection. From the pumping station, this sewage should travel to the Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), the primary function of which is to treat the sewage water through aerators, clarifiers etc. A study conducted by Arappor Iyakkam shows that untreated sewage water from different parts of the city are being let out in the three rivers—Adyar, Cooum and Kosasthalaiyar, apart from the lakes…

Over the last three decades, the lakes in Bengaluru have been ruined. Several reports list the causes and remedies, and orders were issued by the Karnataka High Court, Lokayukta Court and National Green Tribunal. But no significant action was ever taken, and the situation has only worsened. On 22nd January, citizen groups in Bellandur catchment area met Bengaluru In-charge Minister K J George, to press for time-bound and fast-track implementation of the Expert Committee Report. This was the first round, and does not address all action-points identified in the Expert Committee Report: The remaining points will be taken up in…

It was a hectic but delightful weekend at the Puttenahalli Lake in J.P. Nagar 7th Phase. On Saturday, 20th January,  S.K. Srinivas led a group of 12 participants through the intricacies of photography. It included a class in the Gazebo which we had darkened with curtains to facilitate better viewing of his presentation. Participants asked questions, cleared doubts, showed the pictures they had clicked, etc. Time flew and the scheduled two hours extended to three and more. Everyone welcomed his ideas of a day-long photo walk and forming a group so that their learning could continue. Meanwhile, we received email…

Winter is always a good season for an amateur naturalist like me; the cool weather suits me and I can certainly spend far longer outdoors without getting tired out by the relentless Indian sun. I like to go out as much with friends as possible, and come across interesting things...literally, from far and near. One of the "far" birds that we went to see are the bar-headed geese, which fly in from Mongolia and other parts in the far north, to our relatively warmer climes. Bar-headed Geese At Magadi lake at Gadag district, they arrive in large numbers; however, if…

In the latter half of November 2017, as bulldozers razed some unauthorised religious structures that stood tall on Chitlapakkam Lake for years, hordes of curious onlookers gathered on the streets, pausing their daily chores. Led by senior IAS officer P Amudha, the Public Works Department demolished a few temples, a mosque and a church that residents have been emotionally and spiritually connected to, for decades. What warmed the officials’ hearts were the smiles on the faces of the people, many of whom lauded the speedy action. But, can we expect similar action in all the water bodies of Chennai? Religious…