Bird Watch at the Lake - Spotted Dove

So far  we'd only seen Rock Pigeons at our lake but yesterday, at about 5.15 p.m., we saw a Spotted Dove! It was sitting on the dead tree our volunteers had planted in the lake bed. 

Though a common bird, we were seeing it for the first time and were quite excited about its presence. Its soft cooing was what attracted our attention to the bird. Delightful!

The dead tree is such a favourite with birds that we have planted a few more at various points in the lake bed. It is great to see different kinds of birds sitting on some branch or the other!

Usha

Spotted Dove

Myna and Little Cormorant 

Pics: Usha Rajagopalan

Rotary citation to PNLIT

Sincere thanks to Rotary Bangalore South Parade for the citation presented to PNLIT.      

In you we find a crusader in saving the environment and water bodies in Bangalore. 

Against all odds you have relentlessly worked to revive a dead lake and brought Puttenahalli lake to full life with water, flora fauna, fish and birds.

We the President, Board of Directors and Members of Rotary Bangalore South Parade on this day of July 4 2014 recognize your contribution to the residents of Bangalore City for enhancing the quality of life. 

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Usha and Nupur represented PNLIT at a function on the 4th of July to receive it.

PNLIT renews MoU with BBMP

We are happy to tell you that PNLIT's MoU with the BBMP for the maintenance of Puttenahalli Lake has been renewed for another three years. We would like to take this opportunity to share with you some information regarding the MoU.

PNLIT's responsibilities include:

- Maintenance of trees, plants and grass by regular watering, pruning, staking, manuring, de-weeding the embankment slopes and walkway, and other measures to ensure the healthy growth of plants and trees

- Removing of weeds along the embankment, lake and collecting floating materials which are accumulated at the embankment of the lake and also keeping embankment in good condition

- General housekeeping activities such as sweeping and clearing any litter/ garbage, litter bins and dustbins to be installed and maintained on daily basis

- Allow access to public every day to use the lake for walks and relaxation at scheduled hours prescribed by BBMP

- Round the clock watch the lake and the park environmentally, reporting requirements to BBMP

- Ensure that the fence is intact, that there is no new encroachment, that debris and garbage is not dumped in the lake area and report any violation to BBMP.

PNLIT receives no funding from BBMP or the government towards discharging its responsibilities. PNLIT meets costs/ expenses for the maintenance of the lake, and for the other objectives of the trust through donations and volunteering/ fund raising activities. The trustees/ volunteers work on an honorary basis, keeping environmental sustainability and local community participation at the lake a deliberate focus. 

The lake is slowly reaching a stage of stability, with support from the BBMP and from you, donors and volunteers. Together we seem to have inspired others across the city to assume responsibility for a lake in their locality. We are particularly happy that there are over 35 such groups in the city and many of them have used our PNLIT Trust Deed as a template to register themselves! 

In the three years ahead, we need your help more than ever - for both financial support and sharing responsibilities. 

Current annual expenses are about Rs 6 lakhs. Donations to PNLIT are exempt u/s 80G of the IT Act. To know how you can donate, please see here.

We appeal to you to come forward and give us a helping hand. A couple of hours a week to lead specific initiatives, take over specific responsibilities, raise funds/ organise fund raisers, etc. would go a long way in nurturing this precious lake in our neighbourhood. Drop us a line if you can contribute in any way. Mail to puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com.

The PNLIT Team

Hares in the Arekere Reserve Forest

The cleaning session at Arekere (Dorsani Palya) Reserve Forest on Sunday 29th June 2014 had many of the morning walkers join the effort. The extra hands really helped the volunteers (who have pledged their support to the clean-up campaign) do more than they had expected. 

However it was noticed that apart from plastic, a lot of rubbish, including wet waste, gets thrown from the road, over the compound wall. People are using this like a road side garbage dump! For a proper clean-up of this part, the group decided to engage paid labour or rag pickers.

The forest is known for its birds, butterflies and other insects. But mammals? The highlight of the morning, and the most surprising find was the spotting of wild hares in the forest. Prasanna, one of the volunteers wrote to the PNLIT email group, "Yes you can call it a miracle that these beautiful creatures are still surviving despite all odds". 

With stray dogs frequenting the area, Prasanna wonders how long the hares will survive. The Forest Department and others will need to make a focussed and concerted effort to keep the dogs out and preserve the habitat for the hares so that they can breed. In the huge 130-acre area, surely if there is a will, it should be possible, with the support of the Forest Department.  

We need to go beyond making the forest a beautiful place for walking and exercising. We need to save the hares that have made this their home. If you have any ideas on how the hares can be protected and would like to join the effort, please email  Prasanna Vynatheya .

Read about a rescued hare on the wrrc website here.