Environment

Amid the scams hitting the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC), the firm is stepping up to the challenge of reducing odour emanating from the plant by installing a biofilter system. The Rs 2 crore project, which involves filtering the air from the compost shed, will be ready in another three months, according to KCDC advisor Venkoji Rao. Windrows at work at KCDC premises. Pic: Nikita Malusare The unbearable stench arises when the composting windrows are turned in KCDC, four times a month. In the new biofilter system, four tanks are constructed, which will be filled with waste, water and coir.…

  What a day at the "Zero Plastic Run" that was flagged off from Decathlon, Sarjapur Road on June 20th! This green event organised by Decathlon, Sarjapur, and well-supported by Kasa Muktha Bellandur, various local citizen groups and Runners High, saw a sizable group of enthusiastic runners of all ages show up in the early hours of a cold, cloudy and windy Saturday morning. As the name indicates, this event was organised to showcase that such an event can be conducted and enjoyed thoroughly by going completely green. Runs usually see a whole lot of trash generated through the course of the event…

A US-based non-governmental organisation and a Bengaluru-based engineering firm have prepared a Vision Plan for restoration and regeneration of lakes in Bengaluru. The Vision plan titled ‘Better Lakes, Better Bangalore’ advocates a “sustainable water supply plan for Bangalore.” Curiously, many of the stakeholders mentioned in the report have denied involvement in preparing the report. Bengaluru-based engineering consultant firm Invicus Engineering, along with San Francisco-based non-profit organisation working towards water sustainability—Sherwood Institute and an engineering firm based in San Francisco, Carollo Engineering, had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the BDA on November 6th 2012 to provide a Vision Plan for…

The High Court of Karnataka took serious exception to the absence of BBMP Administrator M N Vijay Bhaskar from the court proceedings during the hearing of a batch of solid waste management PILs on Friday. The Special Bench constituted by the High Court comprising of Justice N Kumar and B V Nagarathna refused to accept submissions from the petitioners during Friday’s hearing, owing to the absence of the BBMP Administrator in the court. “During the last hearing in April, the court had given one and a half months time to the newly appointed BBMP Administrator and the Commissioner to study…

Thanks to the rain and the treated water, the level has gone up at the lake. Unfortunately though, the notoriously difficult to control alligator weed is also growing lushly. We hope when the level increases even more, the weeds will be submerged and rot. Well, we may be unhappy about the weed spreading but the birds are very happy about it. The number of birds frequently the lake has increased.    For the past few months, Madhurima Das, a "resident birder" from the neighbourhood has been regularly doing a weekend census of the birds at the lake, and taking pictures…

Bags filled with burnt and sieved garbage. You can also see the burning garbage. Pic: Shared by a citizen It has been 10 days since the issue of burning garbage near Choodasandra and filling it in vermicompost bags under the label of Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) came to light. The action taken on the issue is little, and the individuals/organisations involved in the fraud remain unidentified. Citizen Matters had published a detailed report on how a few workers were burning city garbage in an open site at Choodasandra off Sarjapur Road in Bengaluru, and filling it in bags bearing…

PNLIT turns five today.    Thanks to our donors, volunteers, staff, vendors, media, government authorities and everyone else who extended support to us in various capacities, the journey has been very fulfilling.   Puttenahalli Lake continues to be PNLIT's primary focus and we are happy with the positive difference that 'five years' has made.           The green of the trees, grass and other plants (weeds included) cannot be missed. Flowers, fruit and fish ensure that birds, butterflies and other life forms are able to sustain. More than 70 different species of birds have been spotted at the lake…

A background Schools play an important role in keeping our environment clean. One important step in this process is educating students and the wider community about reducing the amount of resources consumed, so that we do not needlessly throw used material into garbage bins.  For this waste ultimately lands up in street corners, lakes, forests, outskirts of the city and in village grazing pastures and farmlands causing massive pollution and creating major public health hazards. While each of us can do a lot in making schools less wasteful, better results are achieved when the whole school makes a commitment to minimizing…

Plant a tree on Friday, help clean up on Saturday and cycle on Sunday - all by the side of Bangalore lakes! The SayTrees Environmental Trust,in association with TESCO, is planting 350 saplings at Sheelavanthakere Lake, Whitefield on Friday, 12th June 2015, 8:00 a.m. onwards. Join hands with other nature lovers to pave the way for a home for thousands of birds at this lake. Those intending to attend are requested to please fill the form: http://bit.ly/1AZJA0v. For more details, contact Durgesh [9008659007], visit the SayTrees website and Facebook page. The Save Horamavu Lakes team is having a massive Cleaning Drive at the Horamavu Agara Lake on Saturday,…

  The Coalition for Clean India, a network of organisations working on solid waste management presented a five-point Charter to the Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on World Environment Day on May 6th 2015, at the Parisara Habba held at Kanteerava Indoor Stadium. Here is the letter that was shared: "We, citizens groups, organisations and individuals working on Solid Waste Management have come together, as Coalition for Clean India, to highlight a clear and common agenda, for sustainable practices in Municipal Solid Waste Management both in the State of Karnataka and at the national level. The Agenda of the Coalition for…