Family Fun Gardening Day at the Lake , July 6th - Event Report

Our new lake manager Rashmi had made all the arrangements and welcomed the volunteers to Family Gardening Fun day on 6th July. 

Darsh, a teenager who is doing Social Action Program for his school involved himself in every gardening activity for more than an hour. Along with another volunteer Dinesh, Darsh pruned the hedges and removed the dead leaves. They then transferred all the leaves to the composting bins. Overall a very satisfying day at the lake.

See you all at our next Family Gardening Fun day on the first Saturday of next month i.e 3rd August.

Cheers,
-Vijaylakshmi

2019's first Gardening Day - a report

The first family gardening on Saturday 5th January was a great start to 2019. 

It was a glorious winter morning at the lake. The sun shone brightly on the trees and the water, one could see only sparkles everywhere!

Schools of fish could be spotted at various points making the cormorants a happy lot. A Spot-billed Pelican which has been visiting the lake regularly of late, came around to enjoy the sun and the lake much to the delight of our "Family Gardeners."

Trees like the White Silk Cotton and Ball Badminton are flowering. The deciduous Mahogany is still fully barren but the Thespesia is growing new leaves after shedding all their old ones on our avenue side!

They had provided enough work for the volunteers today - 5 adults, 4 children and 2 young adults. They all raked the fallen leaves and collected them for composting. When this was done, some of them set to trimming the hedges while others watered the plants. No one noticed how the hour and half went by!

One of the first time participants, a 5 year old introduced her aunt who had brought her because, as she said, her mom and dad are at home. Dad was watching television.

Keeping a straight face, I told her to get her dad to bring her the next time. 

She said, "He doesn't listen to anyone. He is a naughty boy."

Childhood is like no other phase in one's life because it is filled with wonder and curiosity. Nurture it!  Join us with your children in our next Family Fun Gardening Day on Saturday 2nd February.

Warmly,

Sapana

Event Coordinator, PNLIT

Preparing the lake for the monsoon

March and April are scorching months but that's also when we get our lake ready for the monsoon.  VMware volunteers came over on 31st March to help us.

In the past when the lake was largely dry with only little pools of water that shrank by the day, volunteers had to pick up plastic bags, stray slippers, bottles and the like from a much larger area. This year with most of the 10 acre lake bed under water, only the highest point was dry and piled with the alligator weed removed from the water. If left there, they would sprout with the first shower. Some of the quickly multiplying salvinia molesta were trapped in the trash boom waiting to be lifted out. We may hate the plant but the fresh Salvinia makes a good manure. It had to be mixed with the dry leaves heaped in rows. Further, we wanted some big boulders brought to the wetland.

Volunteers at work

Many tasks and many hands. From 9 a.m. to noon, the volunteers from VMware led by Guruprasad Cashikar slaved under the hot sun doing each one of these with great cheer even though sweat dripped from their faces. They finished all the chores assigned to them but there's still more to do.

More volunteers are welcome!  

The great clean up at the lake

Volunteers from RBEI at the lake, 5th Nov. 2016

Our lake cleaners Puttaswamy and Ramakrishna had been removing the weeds from the water and piling them on the slope. However, they were not so keen to remove the drying weed from the slope since it was so much more difficult. Where they lay, the alligator weed and salvinia molesta would no doubt enrich the soil  but the alligator weed would begin to sprout. We were therefore keen on removing it while also making space for more weeds. When our CSR partner Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Private Limited (RBEI) asked if their volunteers could work at the lake, we grabbed the opportunity. On Sat. 5th Nov. the first of the 25 Bosch volunteers arrived at the lake at 8 a.m. and we set them to the task of removing the weeds from the slope.

Our staff

Gardeners, Jayanna and Ramu, Puttaswamy and Ramakrishna filled baskets with the drying weeds which volunteers handed over the grill to their friends. They in turn emptied the baskets between the trees within the boundary fence. As and when more volunteers joined, they did likewise. One of them, Deepak had brought his 70 year old mother who matched his enthusiasm.

In no time it seemed, the volunteers had cleared one section and everyone moved to the next spot further down. This being the highest point of the lake bed, maximum weeds had been piled here and we needed all the help the volunteers could give to clear out this area. With great gusto everybody set to work.  

The slope is gradual here so more volunteers went to the water side and helped to fill the baskets. Some were emptied into our wheel barrows and cycle trolley which the volunteers wheeled away. By 10 a.m. we called for a break. We had arranged a sumptuous breakfast for the by now hungry volunteers. Seeing the amount of work they had done, our guys were keen on getting the entire spot cleared. The volunteers were only too happy to oblige. Post breakfast, they resumed work with greater energy. In about an hour they were scraping the ground and it was time to halt, mission accomplished!

Pics taken by Usha Rajagopalan and V. Srikrishnan

Impact Day for Deloitte volunteers

The morning of 27th November saw the coming of enthusiastic Deloitte volunteers to Puttenahalli Lake as part of their yearly  'Impact Day event'.  Around 30 of them gathered at the gazebo to know more about the lake, how it was brought back to life and to find out how they could help.

Mr.S. Sundaresan from Deloitte kickstarted the proceedings by telling the others about our struggle to revive the lake and all the hard work that has gone behind it. As a resident of the neighbourhood (Mr. Sundaresan lives in South City), he had clearly kept himself abreast with the progress updates that are regularly sent out by PNLIT trustees. Mr Ramaswamy (Trustee, PNLIT) elaborated the challenges faced by the PNLIT team and about the long road ahead to complete the transformation. Mrs.Nupur Jain (Trustee, PNLIT) briefed the volunteers about the work that was planned for them to make an "impact" - repairing of broken benches in the gazebo, planting of saplings around the lake. The volunteers divided themselves into teams and set out to work with great excitement. Our neighbourhood volunteers Kalai and Divya, our manager Susheela and gardeners were actively around to coordinate their work. 

Some of the volunteers helped repair the benches which had been broken by miscreants a month ago, guided by the mason who had been called. The volunteers lifted the heavy stone slabs and placed them on the bases, brought bricks, mixed the cement and so on. They also cleaned up the gazebo area. 

Others were immersed in gardening work. From mixing the soil and manure to pushing the wheel barrow loaded with plants and tools, they enjoyed every bit. The hot sun above them did not dampen their spirits and they worked hard till it was lunchtime. It was a joy supervising them and listening to their talk. 

Deloitte had arranged for a quick but tasty lunch for all and then it was back to work. By 3:30 p.m. the volunteers completed all the work that had been planned for them. They were exhausted but deeply satisfied with what they had managed to accomplish that day. 

In appreciation of all their hard work, the volunteers each received a PNLIT wristband. Till their next visit to the lake, these bands that celebrate lakes and the group selfies/ photographs that they took would remind them of their Impact Day at Puttenahalli Lake. 

Sincere thanks to Deloitte volunteers for their contribution to Puttenahalli Lake.

- as reported by Nupur Jain with minor edits

Cisco volunteers at Puttenahalli Lake

On 8th October 2015, a group of 34 volunteers from Cisco livened up Puttenahalli Lake with their good humored banter, comments and most of all, with their swift and efficient planting of saplings to form a protective hedge along the side of the walking track. This was done to prevent stray dogs from going down the embankment and chasing the birds away. By planting the saplings the Cisco volunteers saved a great deal of labour for us and our gardeners. By sending us the report below, they saved us the trouble of writing one as well! Sincere thanks to Cisco's Jagadeesh Maiya and Sudarshan Ganapathi, who led the volunteers and special thanks to Girisha Shankar for the report. - Usha (Trustee, PNLIT)

Puttenahalli Lake plantation drive (A CSR initiative by CSG-CNX India team)

- Report by Girisha Shankar (with minor edits)

When was the last time that the CNX engineers dug out live bugs? And when was the last time that a white-breasted kingfisher got spotted within city?

It was a sunny afternoon threatened by the evening rains. Thirty four (34) engineers from Cisco (where long-time PNLIT-donor Jagadeesh Maiya works) decided to spend the afternoon planting saplings by the walking track on the Puttenahalli lake shore. We all assembled around 2.30. Ms. Usha Rajagopalan, a trustee from Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust gave us a brief overview of the lake and how it was restored. Her inspiring speech was all that we needed to get into the act. Teams were formed from the assembled group. Equipped with spears, pick-axe and shovels we set out. As one person dug the hole, the second one removed the plastic cover of the sapling, the third planted the sapling, the fourth watered the plant and off to the next one. A few volunteered to transport saplings and water for the small teams that were ahead. It was an example of multiprocessor, with pipelining!!! The recent rains helped by keeping the soil loose and easy to dig. 

As the enthusiasm soared, the sleeping earthworms and beetles rushed out of their safe haven to see what was happening – scaring some of the engineers in the process. But were relocated safely without getting harmed. Some of us were lucky to spot some birds – such as white-breasted kingfisher. With all the saplings that we planted, may be we have increased the possibility of sighting more birds in this park in future.

The weather was helpful – by not raining. As many as 450+ saplings were planted by the team in the session. But soon, most of us, not accustomed to this kind of work, were

all tired. Sudarshan brought home made Puliyogare and Mamtha brought Ginger tea from Cisco campus. They were devoured by one and all in that park. Rejuvenated by the delicious food, digging/planting/watering continued till we planted all 700 saplings.

Our team got a boost when Junior Sudarshan (Sumukha), Junior Jagadeesh(s) (Sriram and Arjun) joined to lend their hands. The evening ended with an enthralling speech from Jagadeesh. With a few blisters in hand, yet with great satisfaction, we dispersed.

This is the beginning of continued volunteering. For ease of communication an internal alias (volunteers-pnlit) is being created with all the 34 volunteers included. The alias is open for more volunteers to register.

Calling volunteers for Puttenahalli Kere Habba on Saturday 21st Feb 2015

PNLIT is pleased to announce that we are hosting the Puttenahalli Kere Habba on 21st February 2015. This will be the second such event in the celebrating lakes festival initiative of the One Bengaluru for Lakes and Namma Bengaluru Foundation. The first event held at Kaikondrahalli Lake was an outstanding success. PNLIT is a very small team and our lake is not more than a pond, which, being rain fed, has only a little water. However, it is very much alive and bustling!! 

We are not sure how many visitors will turn up but need to be prepared to educate and entertain them. We have lined up an exciting array of activities for children and adults and need at least 50 volunteers to help us. 

Since several of you volunteers have done such wonderful work at the lake in the past, this message is to invite you to help us make the Puttenahalli Kere Habba 2015 an occasion to remember. The event will be from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday 21st February. 

Along with conducting the specific activity which will be allocated to you according to your interest, you may have to be our spokesmen as well in talking to the visitors about lake restoration. We will hold briefing sessions for all volunteers. 

Looking forward to hearing from you. Please mail puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com.  

Usha

Weekend cleanup at Arekere Reserve Forest continues

​The incredible forest

Please join the Arekere (Dorsani Palya) Reserve Forest team on Sunday, 29th June 2014 at 7:00 a.m. The task at hand will be to continue cleaning up from where the volunteers stopped last week. For the exact location, please see the earlier post here. Children are most welcome to go along with their parents/ grandparents. 

Mr Saravanan, who is coordinating the cleanup efforts, had this to say about the start they made on 21st June:

It is quite interesting to see our first baby steps towards this cleanup drive. It was a successful and motivating event with remarkable response not only from our volunteers but also from public. There were about 40-50 people collected close to 35 bags of garbage.

Our sincere thanks to Dushyant, Sujatha, Arathi, Selvakumar, Usha & Manjunath, who put lot of efforts behind the scene. Also, special thanks go to Hariprasad representing forest department. Not to miss, enthusiastic Vishal showed real forest warden skills.   The list will go on and on....in nutshell.... THANK YOU ALL.

Words from Sanjay about this event:
It's said that Cleanliness is next to Godliness, and Nature is God... so we got a double deal last Saturday morning when we went to clean the forest. Though I must confess that much like the Indian police in a Bollywood movie, I went after everything was over, but managed to catch some of the volunteers before they went home.  It was a really lovely gathering with people of all ages and plenty of ladies too, enjoying hot steaming delicious idlis soaked in tasty chutney. There was a huge pile of garbage bags as evidence of all the work of that morning. 

​Some of the volunteers

The garbage

A yahoo group <dpfr_blr@yahoogroups.com> has been formed to keep the team in touch. If you would like to volunteer for Arekere Forest or stay posted about the cleanup progress, please subscribe to the group by email <dprf_blr-subscribe@yahoogroups.com> or get in touch with Saravanan <saravanan_ss@yahoo.com>.

Thanks to Saravanan for the pics.