Citizens' Fest at The Bohemian House

A citizens’ fest at The Bohemian House, Richmond Circle is being held on Sunday 17^th February 2019.

Talking Earth’s Future Cities Edition 1 will have 4 panel discussions, over 30 speakers, 6 workshops, art zones, 20 sustainable brand stalls and much more.

The themes that will be discussed are:

- Waste

- Bangalore Heritage

- Urban Development 

- Lakes.

PNLIT Trustee, Nupur Jain will be part of the panel for the discussion on lakes, along with Kavitha Reddy, Naresh V Narasimhan, Deepanjali Naik and moderator Madhuri Subbarao. 

Topic: Are citizen-led lake revival efforts sustainable?

Date: Sunday 17th Feb 2019

Time: 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm

Location: Waterfall Area @ the Bohemian House 

Tickets available here

Eco India video - Bangalore's lakes being transformed

Eco India is a collaboration between Scroll.in and Deutsche Welle news channel.

Starting this week, Eco India brings you stories of innovations from across India and Europe, and the people who make them possible. The top story this week looks at how citizens in Bangalore are coming together to replenish and revive the city's lakes. Puttenahalli Lake is featured in this episode.

click here for youtube 

Many thanks to Scroll.in's researcher Aditi Rajagopal for the interest in Puttenahalli Lake, and to photographer Omkar Phatak who makes all the lakes look spectacular.

Deutsche Welle broadcast this shortened episode yesterday, and it can be seen here.

The full episode can be seen on youtube here.

Today's TOI - Ideas for lakes

For those who haven't seen today's The Times of India, here is the clipping of the Bellandur & Beyond column (that featured Puttenahalli Lake last week).

This article is about an interactive session with various people involved with saving and nurturing lakes lake. Our trustees Nupur and Divya who attended the meeting are quoted in the article and seen in the pics.

The article can be read online on the link below

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/health-index-will-give-clear-picture-of-condition-of-lakes/articleshow/65381581.cms

Lakes out of bounds for people! Crippling amendments to Tank Development Act

On 23rd February, the state government passed amendments to the Tank Development Act transferring all lakes to the Minor Irrigation Department (MID). It repeals the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Act which had provided for active community participation. 

To add insult to injury, the amendments were adopted with sparse attendance in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday 22nd Feb. 2018 and passed the next day, on 23rd Feb., in the Legislative Council in haste, without any discussion or debate.

We are various citizen groups across Bengaluru who for the past several years have been deeply involved in the restoration, protection and preservation of the water bodies in our respective localities. We know  from experience that public participation is vital to the nurturing water bodies. 

Mismanagement by the authorities over the years caused the extinction of hundreds of lakes in the city. We cannot allow them to finish off the few surviving ones. We have formally appealed to the Hon'ble Governor to return the amendments bill. Please join us by signing this online petition. 

Thank you, 

PNLIT 

Why your help is vital

Friends, Please read this article: http://bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com/bangalore/cover-story/please-dont-go-bengaluru-needs-thousands-of-warriors-like-prabhashankar-rai-not-one-less/articleshow/58567168.cms

We need to grow in number and strength for the sake of our lake. 

Lake Alive: Puttenahalli Kere Habba 2015

Please join us at Lake Alive: Puttenahalli Kere Habba 2015 on Saturday 21st February. 

The festivities will start from 3 p.m. and go on till 7 p.m. See the schedule below for the exciting sessions. Entry is free and open to all.  

Kere Habba is an initiative of the Namma Bengaluru Foundation to promote conservation of lakes. Partnering PNLIT in this event is Arghyam's India Water Portal. 

Do share this announcement in your community forums, with family and friends. 

We look forward to sharing the enjoyment of the kere and the habba with you on 21st February. 

Best regards,

Usha

Chairperson, PNLIT

The Planned Schedule

At "The Anchor"

3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Craft Making

3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Live Music

4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Djembe Djembe

4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Craft Making

5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Djembe Djembe

5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Auction of art pieces 

6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Craft Making

6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Film show

Faunatoon Corner

3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Cartoonist Ananth at Work

Foto Fun

3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m  

Photos to be collected at 4:30 p.m and 6:30 p.m.

At "Green Thumb"        

3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  "Pot a Plant" 

Drip Drop

4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  

Rippling Activities

3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Bird watching/ Photography. For earnest amateurs

4:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  Nature Walk

5:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Nature Walk

6:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Nature Walk

Run Kid Run 

3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Fly a Kite  

3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.  Free Wheel

Toddler Tub     

4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Sail a boat    

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. 

​

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

What a dance at dusk!

The Dance at Dusk organized on 26th April by PNLIT together with the Snehadhara Foundation was truly an event with a difference. Attended by over 60 people, most of them adults, the Gazebo was cramped for space. Some mothers held back their children for safety but ironically, the evening began with a three year old running into the middle of the ring of dancers and twirling her yellow frilly frock. Geetu of Snehadhara persuaded the child to join the group and the music began to play.

After a warming up slow number, Lakshmi from Snehadhara engaged the participants in a brief but lively discussion on the importance of lakes and the need for the community to engage in its restoration and maintenance. This after all, was what the event (and PNLIT) all about - celebrating Nature through community participation. 

The music began once again and the dancers took their positions. The South African oldie goldie "Pata Pata" raised the enthusiasm of the dancers to a new level. It was followed by the Russian Troika dance, the popular Drunken Sailor tune and a Greek number.

Before each dance, Geetu demonstrated the steps and rest followed. The repertoire was varied, the music fast paced and the dancers many. It wasn't only the dancers who had all the fun though. The many who opted out for want of space were joined by the regular evening walkers who stopped by to watch, some with curiosity, many with a smile. The heat of the day gave way to a breeze which cooled off the sweat of the dancers, young and old but not their enthusiasm. 

Three cheers to Snehadhara and especially to all the participants. While most of them were from the locality,a few came from as far away as Banashankari 2nd stage and Mantri Elegance, Bannerghatta Road. As Geetu commented, all of us came together without knowing one another and yet had a great deal of fun. Isn't this the essence of community spirit?

Usha

Taking the lead

The stage is mine!

Dancers

Lakshmi, talking on the importance of lakes

Twirl and whirl

Dancing frenzy

Holding him back

Geetu explaining new steps

Geetu guiding the new dancers

Selling PNLIT products

Your vote counts. Your MPs can make a difference to Bangalore's lakes.

This election day in Bangalore (Thursday, 17th April 2014) the proof of whether you have done your duty will be on your left thumb! Yes, as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, the indelible ink shall be applied on the left thumb of voters in Karnataka.

Many of you may have decided whom you are going to vote for. For those who are undecided, or wanting to know more about the candidates, here are some links to help you choose or change your mind. 

What can our MPs do to protect Bangalore's lakes?

A point of view 

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/blogs/like-a-lake/blog_posts/what-can-our-mps-do-to-protect-bangalore-s-lakes-2

Check your constituency

Bangalore residents will fall into one of 5 Lok Sabha constituencies

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/parliament-constituency-assembly-constituency-ward-bangalore

Check out the candidates in your Lok Sabha constituency

Bangalore South (23 candidates)

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/PDFS/ContestingCandidate/26-Bangalore%20South.pdf

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/compare-bangalore-south-candidates-before-deciding-your-leader

Bangalore North (14 candidates)

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/PDFS/ContestingCandidate/24-Bangalore%20North.pdf

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/compare-bangalore-north-candidates-before-you-vote

Bangalore Central (26 candidates)

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/PDFS/ContestingCandidate/25-Bangalore%20Central.pdf

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/quick-reference-to-bangalore-central-candidates

Bangalore Rural (15 candidates)

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/PDFS/ContestingCandidate/23-Bangalore%20Rural.pdf

http://bangalore.citizenmatters.in/articles/compare-bangalore-rural-candidates-before-voting

Chikkaballapur (19 candidates)

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/PDFS/ContestingCandidate/27-Chikkaballapur.pdf

YOUR VOTE COUNTS!

I recently met someone who said he was disappointed he may not be able to vote because he had not received his voter ID card. If you do not have a voter ID card but have your name on the electoral rolls, you can still vote by carrying a photo id proof. To find your name on the electoral rolls, check this link

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/SearchHome_New.aspx

If your name has been newly added, it is possible that you may not find your name using the above link. In that case, check out your assembly constituency voting lists on the links below. These give the electoral rolls by polling booth.

Bangalore South 

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/ElectionFinalroll2014/AC_List_B3.aspx?DistNo=33

Bangalore Central

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/ElectionFinalroll2014/AC_List_B3.aspx?DistNo=31

Bangalore North

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/ElectionFinalroll2014/AC_List_B3.aspx?DistNo=32

Bangalore Urban

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/ElectionFinalroll2014/AC_List_B3.aspx?DistNo=34

Bangalore Rural

http://ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/ElectionFinalroll2014/AC_List.aspx?DistNo=22

Make sure your voice is heard by taking the time to cast your vote. Encourage your friends and neighbours to vote too.

Tip: Booths open around 7 a.m. so go early to beat the crowds and queues. 

And after you've voted, enjoy the voting holiday and long weekend! 

===================

Arathi Manay ಆರತಿ ಮಾನೆ

A different perspective to summer lakes

Over the last few days, the Bangalore edition of The Hindu newspaper has carried two articles on lakes, both involving our Puttenahalli Lake.

On 26th March, an article titled "Lakes turn into sewage pools" was published. In summary, it reports a complaint made by a citizen regarding the state of the lakes in Bangalore (including sewage and encroachment) despite more than Rs 200 crore of State money having being spent on them over the last six years, which has drawn the attention of the Upa Lokayukta. Many of us know that some of the rejuvenated lakes do not have caretakers and are hence falling into a state of disrepair. What bothered some of us was that the article was accompanied by an anonymous picture of a lake - our Puttenahalli Lake. (The article can be seen online here.) 

Given that the title of the article was incorrectly connected with Puttenahalli Lake, PNLIT trustees wrote to The Hindu informing it that the picture was misleading; that PNLIT is continuously monitoring the inflows and is prompt to take action to ensure that sewage does not enter the lake. 

Today, 30th March, the paper carries an article titled "Puttenahalli Lake is in better shape now". It reports PNLIT's efforts to keep sewage from entering the lake, along with a recent picture of the lake, which unfortunately, as with the first article, does not support the text. (The article can be seen online here.)

While not rushing to judge the intent of the second article, it brings our attention to two important aspects of lakes:

- challenges in lake management, including reckless acts such as burning, which we have posted about here

- life cycles of rain-fed lakes (most of Bangalore's lakes are rain-fed complex ecosystems). 

Life-cycles of rain-fed lakes

During a good monsoon, if the water from the surrounding areas is diverted to the lake, the level of water in the lake rises (June - December), as we have seen at Puttenahalli Lake this past year. With the retreat of the monsoon and the onset of summer, the water level starts dropping. In small lakes and ponds, while the deeper parts hold out, large portions dry out completely. 

Dr S. Subramanya from GKVK, while explaining the natural cycle of small lakes, had this to say about Puttenahalli Lake: 

The very fact that the water is still holding out at your lake is an indication that the ground water too is holding out. Let the water level hold on its own and let us allow the natural process to go on as it used to. Summer drying will breath a fresh life into the lake, once the pre-monsoon inflow starts. This is necessary to kill-off all the invasive plant species before the next monsoon arrives. This also gives us a chance to do the necessary repair-works in the lake-bed: get to work with spades to scrap-off those unwanted weeds, cleaning-up channels, drain pipes, etc.

While keeping this in mind, it must be said that for most people, the picture of a "lake" is one of perennial water. Along with BBMP/ BWSSB, PNLIT has been exploring the option of getting treated water (water that has been put through an STP) from nearby areas into the lake. This would ensure that a reasonable portion of the lake has water through the year. Jakkur Lake in north Bangalore is one of the successful treated-water lakes in Bangalore, and is now a potential model for Integrated Urban Water Management. (For more information, read here.) 

PNLIT is working to strike a balance. 

We hope that this information we have shared gives you a better perspective of lakes and gives you answers to the questions skeptics may pose when you talk of the "success" at Puttenahalli Lake. Dry lakes in summer should not be equated to "money down the drain".   

29th March 2014 - The Green Bazaar Catch Every Drop

The Green Bazaar Catch Every Drop edition, organised by The Alternative, celebrates waterlife and the need for everyone to conserve the precious resource today!

Lined up in the bazaar:

- Namma Neeru Talks featuring S. Vishwanath, Dr. Sathya Prakash Varanashi, Lake Champions (including Puttenahalli Lake)

- photography exhibition on open wells and lakes, and ways to save water in our homes and public spaces

- interesting activities for children, including Origami workshops, storytelling sessions and a traditional games corner

The evening will close with an electrifying Drum Jam performance by Drum Circle, where everyone joins the beat!

Date: Saturday, March 29, 2014
Time: 10 am to 7 pm
Venue: TERI Lawns, 4th Main, Domlur II Stage, Bangalore 560071

For more details on products, services, updates and more, please check out The Green Bazaar Facebook page.

Report on the workshop on lakes

Yesterday's workshop organized by Save Bangalore Lakes Trust and Citizens' Action Forum in association with the Rotary Bangalore Junction was very well attended by individuals and different lake groups across the city. It was held at  the Senate Hall, Central College. 

To encourage the nascent lake groups, success stories of rejuvenated lakes at Akshaya nagara, Byrasandra, Kaikondanahalli and our Puttenahalli were presented. 

Speaking on behalf of PNLIT, I chose to focus on community involvement which has been our strength. Some of the ways by which we have tried to involve the neighbourhood and to promote a sense of ownership are weekend volunteering, birthday/nature walk, story telling and the recent fundraising among many others. The increasing support we have received is reflected in the amounts of Rs. 4,800 we raised during Earth Day in April 2010 to the Rs. 4.58 Lakh in Sept. 2013 towards maintaining our lake. 

The audience appreciated our inclusive approach and asked several questions ranging from how we share information with the neighbourhood (mails, the black painted security cabin wall on which we chalk announcements), activities to spread awareness, on tree planting, etc. 

For PNLIT, it was a good opportunity to know about other lakes in the city and their journey to renovate them. I was particularly impressed by the remarkable 20 year old legal battle fought to protect and reclaim Byrasandra lake. It was an inspiring, humbling experience to hear Mr. Venkata Subba Rao. His success story can be read about here.

Sincere thanks to all.

Usha

PNLIT at the Baldwin Business & Career Fair

On 23rd November 2013, PNLIT had the opportunity to be at the first Baldwin Business & Career Fair, an initiative pioneered by my school alumni, the Baldwin Alumni Association - for Baldwinians, by Baldwinians. Special thanks to Major Goverdhan (from the organising team) who persuaded me to come down to Bangalore for this.

One of the primary objectives of this event, which is planned to be periodically held, is to create an interactive platform where eminent Baldwinians, industry leaders can inspire and mentor the high school and graduating students as they begin to make critical career choices for their future. It is expected that the students will benefit from these interactions and in turn contribute to national success in more ways than one. In the process, the old girls and boys of the school hope to build and leverage the power of a strong and vibrant Baldwin alumni network that will not only enrich our alma mater but also each other, personally, socially and professionally.

Baldwin Boys' High School, where the event was held, did not fail to impress, with its overall ambiance, infrastructure and students. It was amazing to note that everything that went into setting up the event had Baldwinians involved - shamiana, sign boards, flyers, volunteer clothes, food, first aid, music, etc. Baldwinian Rajan S. Mathews, the Director-General of COAI, was the Chief Guest. There were several speakers from an array of fields - sports, medicine, technology, law, finance, social work, architecture, corporate leadership, education, civil services, real estate, defence, communications, entrepreneurship, etc.    

Arathi talking to Mr Wilson (Principal, BBHS), Mr Rajan Mathews 

The PNLIT Stall

The PNLIT Stall had a good flow of traffic, especially children, who came by for the "I love our lakes" stickers that we were giving away. It was heartening to have a few of the Environment Studies students and staff attend our classroom workshop on environment conservation. 

Nupur, Chandini, OPR and I (and my mom Rukmani Manay who also spent the day at the stall) had some eye-opening interactions that we hope we can grow, and learnt a few things we can use while running our NGO and promoting the cause of lakes in Bangalore. (We also did a few other things like getting eyes tested, blood pressure checked, pranic healing and meditation...!)

Pictures of the event can be seen here.

Children visit the lake, The Brigade School Carnival

6th August 2013

More than 100 children of Standard 3, from The Brigade School, JP Nagar, along with their teachers, excitedly made their way across the road to spend some time at the neighbouring Puttenahalli Lake.

PNLIT Trustees, Prasanna, Nupur and OPR were there to guide the children telling them all about the birds, plants and how lakes are important for all of us.     

More pictures of the visit can be seen here.

------------

8th August 2013

For those who are connected to The Brigade School, do check out the PNLIT Stall at the school carnival, 11 a.m. onwards. We will have, on sale, PNLIT T-shirts, cloth bags, Birds and Butterflies Coasters and CapsToKeep CapMagnets. Also, gain some tips on lakes and spread awareness on their importance!