Environment

It is a well known fact that Bangalore which was a city with many lakes has been driven to a state of horror with most of its lakes encroached and depleted.Another lake which is facing a near death crisis is the Dodda Nagamangala Lake, also known as the Rayasandra Lake in the Dodda Nagamangala region near Electronic city. This lake is about 28 acres in size and falls under survey number 64 and is under the Konappa Agrahara Gram Panchayath. The lovely Dodda Nagamangala Lake last year. Pic: Neethu Peter We have witnessed a large number of birds, even migratory…

Visitors to the lotus pond at Lalbagh witness a rather sorry picture, where all patches of clear water are teeming with fish close to the surface, mouths open and gulping what they can. While the reason for this is unclear, it is apparent that the pond is suffering from excessive vegetation. Lotus, hydrangea and other aquatic plants have taken over far too much of the pond, leaving precious little breathing space for the fish. This is also in stark contrast to the much healthier lake on the other side of the bridge that that separates the two, where cormorants were…

Some 25 members of the Bird Watchers Field Club, Bangalore, led by ardent bird watcher, Deepa Mohan visited the Puttenahalli Lake on 8th Oct. After spotting the juvenile coots, little grebes and pheasant tailed jacanas and seeing a coot couple building a nest, Deepa called our lake a "nursery." This was the nicest thing to hear about the lake we have been trying very hard to revive and sustain. The nesting shows that the birds feel safe to raise their young ones and the presence of large shoals of fish means that the water is clean enough for them to…

This Joy of Giving Week (Oct 2-8, 2011), please "give" to Puttenahalli Neighbourood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT).A citizens' initiative, the PNLIT has been working with the Bangalore municipality (BBMP), to rejuvenate and preserve Puttenahalli Lake in South Bangalore. A couple of years ago, the lake was almost lost to 'development' but it is now a "saved" lake of Bangalore that is teeming with fish and attracting birds. Indeed, the Puttenahalli Lake is an example of what we, the people can achieve with governmental support (and visa versa!!).In May 2011, PNLIT became the first citizens' group to be given charge of…

Puttenahalli Lake in JP Nagar 7th Phase celebrated Ganesha Chaturthi this year sans the problems faced by most of the other lakes in Bangalore.Ganesha Chaturthi = colourful Ganeshas + flowers + immersion in water bodies Immersion in a big drum on the bund of Puttenahalli Lake Pic: Usha Rajagopalan Sankey Tank in Malleshwaram was the immersion ground for more than 50,000/- Ganeshas of varying sizes (according to local police figures). The festivity here also contributed a few lorry-loads of rotting flowers and leaves that were sent to landfills (according to local resident observations).  Puttenahalli Lake, unlike Sankey Tank is a…

As you all know, the local community has been working very hard on rejuvenating Kaikondrahalli lake - it has come a long way from the days it was a garbage dump to an acclaimed water body that has been appreciated by one and all.  Our community has been very active on this front. The last two days have been traumatic for us.Just when our complaints about SJR Watermark constructions’ letting in sewage and worker sheds encroaching were having some effects, this new problem has risen.This weekend, BBMP decided to replace the old broken fence on the main bund facing Sarjapur road.…

"Double Road nalli jaaga yellide", (where is the space on double road?) I quizzed my friend on the phone. As the soon as the words came out, the question's literal meaning immediately dawned; I was grinning as I entered the busy KH road (or double road as we still call it). Luckily my friend knew of ‘Jaaga' and gave directions. The new ‘Jaaga' is bang on KH road, opposite Corporation Bank and lurking from behind a bus stop; a huge space with some iron constructions. Aarti Mohan, one of the organisers & co-founders of the Alternative, a magazine that covers…

Kaikondrahalli lake has been restored to its current condition after great efforts and regular clean up campaigns. Now it is undergoing the 2nd phase of renovation in which various works have been undertaken by the BBMP. However, since the past few months, a nearby apartment complex construction activity has been harming the lake. Not only an eyesore to the serene surroundings, the builder (SJR) has been letting in untreated sewage into the lake. This is mainly due to poor amenities provided to the construction workers - lack of proper toilets and no soak pits. All the sewage has been flowing…

In an unprecedented decision on September 12th, the Principal Division Bench of the Hon'ble High Court of Karnataka constituted by Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice H G Ramesh directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to stop construction of the controversial link road (approximately 4 kms. long) through the biodiversity rich, ecologically sensitive and verdant forest campus of the Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra - University of Agricultural Sciences, in north Bangalore. Citizen resentment peaked in 2009 before the battle spilled over into the courts. Citizens protesting outside GKVK campus on Bellary Road in 2009. File pic: Save GKVK…

"Nearly 110 species of birds, fully or partially dependent on water have been recorded utilizing the tanks in Bangalore. This diversity of birds belongs to 6 avian orders and 25 bird families." - Dr S. Subramanya, an authority on lakes At Puttenahalli Lake, JP Nagar we have positively identified 15 species of the 110 (with the help of close-up photographs; otherwise most of the birds were always too far off or reclusive). These include those that belong to the families of coots, cormorants, ducks, herons, jacanas, kingfishers, kites, lapwigs, wagtails. There are some that we are yet to photograph/identify and…