Environment

Birdwatching, or birding, as it is referred to, seems to have become a very popular pastime in Bangalore. In this context, it's interesting to find out just how it's organized and carried out in the city...and I decided to talk to several people who've had more than thirty years of experience in this activity A team at the HSBC Bird Race. Pic: Deepa Mohan. There are no "professional" ornithologists, as far as  I can gather, in the city. Most of the experienced birders of Bangalore are those who pursue birding as a weekend or holiday activity. Their professions might or…

In the last week of March, while World Water Day was being marked globally with a focus on "Urban Water Management". But our own urban administrators were busy - giving out contradictory statements about metropolitan water management and plans for tackling water scarcity as summer sets in; leaving citizens with emotions ranging from confusion to anger that can be as enervating as thirst. The Karnataka Groundwater (Regulation and Control of Development and Management)  bill passed recently forbids drilling of  borewells in groundwater-depleted areas (and most areas are depleted, with the water table sinking to incontrovertibly alarming levels)  but four days…

In a hearing on April 7, the High Court directed that the report submitted by the committee on March 3 should be implemented. The court order said that the following should be taken up on war footing: surveying lakes to demarcate boundaries and erect fences, identifying and removing encroachments, removing silt and weeds and laying bund where necessary, and stopping sewage flow into lakes. These tasks should be completed and reported to the court for further directions. Chief Justice J S Khehar said that the process initiated to protect Bangalore's lakes will be applied across other districts.  Excerpts from the…

Praying Mantis camouflaged. Pic: Vikram Nanjappa. A couple of weeks ago I found myself spending my mornings at the Indian Christian Cemetery on Hosur Road. My daughter Tara’s school is next to the cemetery and I have often photographed a variety of butterflies, birds and squirrels while waiting for her to finish. One day I decided to spend my mornings wandering around the cemetery instead of coming home and then returning to pick her up. The cemetery has a lot of green cover with flowering shrubs and large trees. At least this part of the green cover in Bengaluru will…

The second Sunday bird watch at Lalbagh with BNG birders was a new experience. Of course every visit has something new. New topics, information, friends, lot more...It was very interesting to see little children so actively involved, interested in knowing and understanding about birds. How do we observe birds, animals behaviors, their calls, types of nests and which trees, flower they visit etc. How often do the birds visit here or how many reside permanently. There is no end if we go deep in observation. We saw them and keep on clicking our camera. And the Lalbagh small lake never…

With the ban of thin plastic bags coming into force from 15th March 2011, Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) cloth shopping bags are in the market. It is said that one reusable bag eliminates an average of a 1000 plastic bags. Anand, one of the owners of Fresh Greens, with the bags. Pic: Arathi Manay Yajaman. When the ban was first announced a few weeks ago, some of the shops on Puttenahalli Road had approached PNLIT members for the supply of cloth bags that can be sold in their shops. About the same time last year, some of us who were concerned…