Forward Bellandur

Sewage and plastic waste has been steadily pouring into Kaikondrahalli lake for the last few months from the eastern side of the lake. On the evening of 12th May 2016, a private landowner from that side breached the lake bund with JCB and drew a channel to empty sewage from his land directly into the lake. Despite best efforts from the BBMP Lakes dept led by Mr Satish (Chief Engineer), Mr Jagannath (Executive Engineer) & Ms Shilpa (Asst Engineer), and the surrounding community volunteers, gallons of accumulating and fresh raw sewage have been entering the lake for past 4 months.Since…

Volunteers from Kasa Muktha Bellandur presented a small token of appreciation to the invisible & often neglected workforce of our society by distiributing cloth bags & sweets to the Pourkarmikas by the volunteers at various muster points (Doddakaneli, Panathur Bridge and Sarjapura Total mall) on the occasion of Ganesha Festival. Every morning even before we have our first cuppa tea, all these workers are out there on the ground, sweeping streets, picking up our garbage & keeping our surroundings a little more cleaner (to be dirtied by the citizens once again - day after day!). We understand that a lot needs…

Kaikondrahalli and Kasavanahalli lakes have been in the news for disturbing reasons lately - the rampant real estate developments in the valley zone that may lead to drying up of the downstream lakes and massive flooding in the next rainy season. There is an ongoing petition to raise awareness on this issue. However, it is business as usual at the government offices. Authorities seem to have been quietly sanctioning one project after another. While there is Shriram Chirping Woods project that has been sanctioned in the valley zone, there is also Bren Imperia that has partly been built on the valley…

Few updates about the current state of Kaikondrahalli lake: Clear example of buffer zone violation   Buffer zone violations – Numerous buildings have popped up around Kaikondrahalli Lake in the last couple of years. Almost all of them have buffer zone violations i.e they have been built over the 100 ft catchment area around the water body which must be left AS IT IS to allow for percolation of rain water into the ground. This area must follow the natural gentle sloping pattern to let excess rain water to flow into the lake during heavy rains to avoid flooding of…

Bellandur Buzz… Issue # 39 Date: 3rd July 2015 This newsletter is brought to you by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com  Another reason to vote We all know how important it is to vote. We have cried ourseleves hoarse over the garbage situation, the potholes and the corruption in the ranks of the political class. But these are not good enough reasons to brave the Bangalore traffic on a lazy holiday.What if we give away free tickets to the newly awaited movie ‘the Minions’ to all voters if they make it to the voting station and cast their vote. Minion tickets…

Bellandur Buzz… Issue # 38 Date: 18th June 2015 This newsletter is brought to you by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com Local SWM champions feature in News 9 Mass illegal burning of garbage near Prakriya and Primus concerned some parents who then visited the area with a BBMP official only to discover to their shock that burnt garbage was being packaged as KCDC branded compost. Here is the coverage by News 9. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=espPDCwvve0   Happenings at Saul Kere: Clean up by the volunteers Kids enjoy activities by the lake World environment day was celebrated at Saul Kere on June 6 with…

Bellandur Buzz… Issue # 37 Date: 5th June 2015 This newsletter is brought to you by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com   Eventful Green weekend   Protest against Mantri and Coremind Projects Venue: Footpath next to Ayyappa temple on Sarjapur Road, opposite Agara lake Date: June 7th, Sunday Time: 9:30am – 11:30 am Please turn up in large numbers and show that you care about the biggest lake and the lifeline of Bengaluru. Sign the petition and read the history of the project at https://www.change.org/p/karnataka-govt-please-stop-agara-sez. Please bring your own water and hats. Parking next to Agara lake service road on ORR. Please take…

Bellandur Buzz... Issue # 36 Date: 22 May 2015 This fortnightly newsletter is brought to you by the residents group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com   Protest against Bellandur – Agara SEZ   Peaceful protest Date: 7th June 2015 Venue: Next to Agara lake and the temple Time: 9:30am – 11:30am Protest is organized by Koramangala and Bellandur residents. Why we are opposed: Blatant encroachment on ~100 acres of Bellandur wetlands. Threatening the survival of Bellandur Lake, the largest in Bangalore. A serious threat to underground water levels and sources Mega project requires water currently being supplied to 3 big wards. Supply zero sum…

Bellandur Buzz... Issue # 35 Date - 8th May 2015 This fortnightly newsletter is brought to you by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com Bellandur wetlands project case update In a judgement delivered in a case filed by a number of citizen welfare groups in Koramangala, HSR Layout and Bellandur, the Principal Bench of the National Green Tribunal has found prima facie evidence of serious irregularities and imposed fines amounting to Rs. 139.4 Crores on the two developers involved for environmental violations in the project opposite Agara lake (wetlands of Bellandur). This case was being fought by a series of RWAs and…

Bellandur Buzz... Issue #34 Date: 24rd April 2015 This newsletter is published fortnightly by the citizen group bellandur-forum@googlegroups.com.    Anti-Plastic awareness campaign in SJR Verity Anti-plastic campaign lauched by kids of SJR Verity Over the last few years, Bangalore has transformed from the ‘Garden City’ to the ‘Garbage City’. The garbage problem of Bangalore, primarily due to plastic bags, has literally become a burning issue. Even though single-use thin plastic is banned by the government, it is still consumed by shopkeepers and the public. Volunteer kids of the apartmen SJR Verity along with few adult volunteers decided to do their bit…