We are happy to share that PNLIT will soon be bringing out an illustrated children’s book about Bengaluru’s lakes, authored by PNLIT trustee Arathi Manay.
Creating awareness about lakes and urban water is an important part of the Trust’s work, and this book has been supported using funds earmarked for awareness-building initiatives.
Aimed at children aged 8–11, it introduces young readers to how Bengaluru’s lakes were created, how they were connected to capture and store rainwater, and why they remain so important to the city even today. With simple explanations and engaging illustrations, it helps children understand and appreciate this remarkable water system. The book is possibly among the first children’s books to introduce Bengaluru’s historic lake network to young readers.
We plan to release the book in early April, and copies will be available shortly thereafter.
If you would like to receive a copy and/or know of a school, library, or group of children who may benefit from it, please fill in the link below.
About 15 committed citizens came together this Saturday morning to clean the surroundings of Puttenahalli Lake. The drive was organised by The Indian Ploggers Army (Nagaraj and team) along with PNLIT, with the support of Greater Bengaluru Authority (South). GBA Marshal Manohar was present to encourage and participate in the effort.
Approximately 40 kg of trash was collected - including glass bottles, plastic bottles, discarded clothes, pooja items, and numerous toffee, chocolate, biscuit, and chips wrappers.
The sight of the collected waste was a stark reminder of how everyday litter adds up, and also of how collective action can make a difference.
We ended the walk by taking a pledge to take responsibility for the waste we generate, a small promise with powerful impact. Grateful for citizens who show up, care, and act.
The same spirit can extend to our streets, parks, and every public space we use. Clean surroundings are not someone else’s responsibility - they are ours. With a population as large as ours, it is unrealistic to expect the municipality to manage the growing volume of waste alone. If each of us takes ownership of the waste we generate, our neighbourhoods can transform - one street, one park, one lake at a time.
As part of the globalGreat Backyard Bird Count2026, a morning bird walk was conducted on 14th February atPuttenahalli Kere, led by Dr. Ishita Das (sincere thanks to her).
We had over 30 participants including students from Jain University and residents from the lake area and beyond.
approx 2 hours (roughly 7 - 9 a.m.) 0.8 km (Traveling count) 37 species recorded
From wetland specialists to tree-top songsters, the lake was buzzing with life. The observations indicate a healthy mix of resident waterbirds and common urban woodland species.
Indian Spot-billed Ducks & Coots (suggest healthy open water habitat)
Gray-headed Swamphens & Little Grebes (reflect stable marsh habitat)
Cormorants across three species (indicates healthy fish availability)
Herons, Egrets & a Glossy Ibis (reflect shallow water zones and abundant aquatic life)
Brahminy Kites circling overhead (suggests an active predatory layer within the lake ecosystem)
Three species of sunbirds (reflect nectar availability in flowering trees)
Insectivores such as Greenish Warbler and Ashy Prinia (suggest active foraging habitats)
The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) 2026 will be held worldwide 13-16 February, bringing together people across countries to observe and record birds as part of a massive citizen science effort.
As part of this global event, PNLIT is hosting a community birding session in the Puttenahalli Lake (Puttakere) neighbourhood, and we warmly invite you to participate. Over 120 species of birds have been identified at the lake by different people over the years, so let us see how many we spot ourselves.
Our Event Details Date: Saturday, 14th Feb 2026 Time: 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. (free to join anytime and continue beyond that as well) Starting point: gazebo at Puttenahalli Lake
Participants will join the PNLIT birding group to identify and count birds found around the lake and neighbourhood. No prior experience in birdwatching is required — this event is suitable for beginners, families, students, and nature enthusiasts of all ages. Please bring water, cap, binoculars, cameras, paper and pen to record observations.
Participants are also encouraged to observe birds beyond the lake neighbourhood and record sightings from other locations during the GBBC period.
After the full GBBC event, GBBC will issue downloadable certificates to all participants who record lists with ebird/ Merlin for GBBC.
We look forward to celebrating Bengaluru’s rich birdlife together while contributing to a global conservation effort.
Do you know how does Puttenahalli Lake talk to the groundwater?
Lakes contribute to groundwater recharge. Our Puttenahalli lake (JP Nagar 7th Phase) is an example of water circularity where treated wastewater from Southcity apartment is let into the lake and it recharges the groundwater contributing to the yield of borewells in the neighborhood.
Join us to know the groundwater aspect of our lake.
Followed by the discussion on Sustainable Water Management practices in adherence with the bylaws.
We’ll start at 7:30 a.m. No registration required. Just land up at the gazebo @ Puttakere.
Bijoy Venugopal - a communications professional, travel writer and nature educator. He is the founder editor, The Green Ogre, a narrative based story telling initiative.
Event details:
ð Sunday,16th Nov
Walk begins at 7:00 AM
Assemble by 6:45 AM
ðMeeting Point: Gazebo at Puttenahalli Lake (JP Nagar 7th Phase)
near Brigade Millennium entrance
Walk details:
Duration: Till around 9:45 AM
Terrain: Level, approximately 1 km around the lake
Suitable for all ages
What to wear:
Dull-coloured clothes
Hats/caps
Comfortable walking shoes (avoid slippers or thin-soled sandals)
It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that PNLIT has withdrawn from protecting and nurturing Puttenahalli Puttakere from 03 July 2025. We were issued a notice to do so by the Lakes Division, BBMP (Notice can be seen in Kannada and English translation). It will come as a shock to you, our associates, well-wishers and supporters, but we had been trying to diffuse and avert a showdown for the last two years.
PNLIT was registered in June 2010 but our endeavour to save the lake began earlier. We shall be as brief and precise in summing up our experience of nearly two decades.
Moved by the plight of the dying lake in our locality, we wanted to moot a public campaign in 2008 to get the municipality to save the lake. Residents in the area tried to dissuade us that government officials would not listen to ordinary people; that lakes were the responsibility of the municipality, not ours, tax payers, etc. We didn’t listen to them and were glad we didn’t.
BBMP rejuvenated the lake in 2009/2010 and their Environment Cell team was so encouraging and cooperative that it led to our signing an MoU with them on 17th May 2011 and we became Bengaluru’s first citizen caretakers of a lake. With regard to financial assistance to meet maintenance expenses, we were told, “If we (BBMP) had the money, why would we give the lake to you?”
Indeed, as per the MoU 2011 - 2014, Section 1. Role of PNLIT item xvii, we had to “Bear the full cost of all the above (maintenance) activities (i to xvi).”
We were also told that if anyone complained about the bad condition of the lake, we would be held responsible.
We took our new assignment seriously and involved the neighbourhood. People’s skepticism gave way to enthusiastic participation. They pitched in with volunteer and fund support through donations. [Note PNLIT is a registered charitable trust with 80G exemption for donors, and fully audited and tax compliant.]
We hired the staff and carried out developments which, over the years transformed the lake into a thriving, rich ecosystem. This would not have been possible without the unflagging support of the then Environment Cell and indeed, several other government departments and the community. PNLIT was the bridge between them. We were deeply grateful for their support.
In 2020, the 10th year of PNLIT, we gifted longtime supporters with a tree in their name and the next year, 2021, our nomination fetched BBMP the Earth Day Network Star Municipal Leadership award for its work in restoring 18 lakes in Bengaluru and initiating work on seven more. Following the Lakes Division notice, we have removed the name boards.
Board names
Removing the board names
Star Municipal Leadership Trophy
In Mar 2020, BBMP did not renew their MoUs with us, citizen groups, citing a High Court order in WP 38401/2014 passed on 04 March 2020 which read “...the State Government shall not execute any such MOU with any Corporate Entity (emphasis added). However, this order will not prevent the State Government from taking funds from the Corporate Entities for rejuvenation of lakes.”
Four of us, citizen groups, were admitted as respondents to the writ in 2021 and we waited to tell the Hon’ble Court about our role and contribution to lake conservation. On the strength of the support from the then Lakes Division, we continued to maintain Puttakere for the next two years and then they turned volte face. We were unable to find out the reasons for this sudden loss of trust and breakdown in communication. We started suspending our volunteer engagements, environment awareness programmes, requested donors to withhold their contributions for lake maintenance, and reduced our activities to essential gardening chores. In the belief that the biggest threats to a lake were sewage influx and encroachment, we continued to protect the lake from these. After 17 years, we were on the verge of achieving the seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating those residing illegally in the lake premises when we got the marching orders. Links to Prajavani reports in English of 27th and 30th March 2025. https://keremanju.blogspot.com/2025/05/puttenahalli-lake-neglect-of.html;
This notice was the second from the Lakes Division. The first (Ref. No. AEE/Lakes (South)/PR/25/2023-24 dated 09/10/2023) asked us to stop treated water inflow from the STP in South City with immediate effect as it was ‘polluting’ the lake. We were served the notice even after sending photographs and documents to show that the toxic pollutant was leachate from the garbage trucks outside the apartment complex and that the treated water in fact, was diluting it. We continued to be questioned till we resolved it once and for all in March 2025 through MLA Shri M Krishnappa who got the garbage transfer point shifted.
Though uncertain about the future, we decided to celebrate the 15th year of PNLIT with our stakeholders. We had already invited, in person, the heads of government departments when we received the notice on 19th June. We went ahead with our celebration on the 28th. Two days later, we sent our response to the notice and withdrew our staff.
We hope that the court will not delay its verdict and that it would enable BBMP to renew their MOU with us and our fellow citizen groups. Meanwhile, our Trust Deed permits other initiatives to improve the areas surrounding the lake. We will consider these in due course. For the present, we shall take a break from community service, surely well-deserved after more than 15 years of “living with the lake” each day!
Having expelled us, the Lakes Division is bound to take excellent care of Puttenahalli Puttakere. We’d like to urge them to take equally good care of all the lakes that still exist in the city and which are in their custody because every lake matters.
Puttenahalli Lake was a triumph of collective action. This video captured the essence of the endeavour.
With heartfelt thanks to all for your tremendous support to PNLIT and Puttenahalli Puttakere.
Of our three gardeners, Ramu has been with us the longest and recently completed 10 years of service at the lake. They are all good in their work with each one using a special skill which he has honed over time at the lake. If the lake and the premises look so clean, it is because of these three men.
In addition to Kannada, Ramu speaks Hindi, and understands English. In our absence, he briefs visitors about the lake and PNLIT. He has developed an interest in photography and keeps us visually updated of happenings at the lake. Today we surprised him with a gift cheque for Rs.10,000. Former trustee, Prasanna, showed his appreciation with Rs. 1,000. It was indeed a happy moment for all of us.
approx 2 hours (roughly 7 - 9 a.m.)
0.8 km (Traveling count)
37 species recorded
Indian Spot-billed Ducks & Coots (suggest healthy open water habitat)
Gray-headed Swamphens & Little Grebes 
Cormorants across three species (
Herons, Egrets & a Glossy Ibis (reflect shallow water zones and abundant aquatic life)
Three species of sunbirds (
