PNLIT cloth bags with logo

Here are the new Kora bags that are currently available in AV Provision Store and Fresh Greens Vegetable Store on Puttenahalli Road. They are priced at Rs 20/- (with short handle) and Rs 30/- (with long handle). They are also available with PNLIT trustees.

Collection drive of re-usable items ended

Dear Residents of BM and JP Nagar,

PNLIT thanks you for the donations in kind that you all have so generously made. Special thanks to the BM Mayflower MC for the collection point and to Ms Mercy Kariappa (AG14) and Nupur Jain (A916) for all the help in sorting.

PNLIT has started delivering the items to those who have a use for them.

The following are the beneficiaries till now:

1. Abalashram

Dr D.V.G. Road, Basavanagudi, Bangalore 560004
- orphanage for girls aged about 15-30 years
http://www.abalashram.org/

2. Child Fund Association
SunBeam, 8th Cross Puttenahalli, Bangalore 560078
- orphanage/home for girls aged about 4-18 years
http://www.cfaindia.com/

3. Puttenahalli Anganwadi
- children aged about 2-5 years

4. Omashram Old Age Home

#850, 5th A Cross, 11th Main, Vijaya Bank Colony, Bilekahalli, Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore- 560 076
- old age home
http://www.omashram.org/

5. Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged

Hosur Road, Bangalore 560025
- old age home
http://lspbangalore.com/

6. Vatsalya Chartiable Trust
717, 5th Cross, Kalyan Nagar, HRBR 1st Block, Bangalore 560 043

- orphanage for children aged 0 onwards, destitute women also
http://www.vctblr.org/

7. Samiksha Foundation

Koramangala, Bangalore

- Creative Learning Initiative for children with cancer and their caregivers, aged 1-15
http://samikshafoundation.com/

8. Miscellaneous workers and their children (e.g. at construction sites, on the road, etc.)

Some more deliveries will be made in the coming days. All these organisations/ people and hundreds of others too are continually in need of different things, so please do get in touch with them should you wish to help.

Please do not leave anything more at the Mayflower reception.

Thanks again,
Arathi Manay
Managing Trustee (PNLIT)

Change in logo

March 2011

Discarded tyres put to good use

Water tank at Puttenahalli Lake resting on pillars made with 21 discarded tyres.

PNLIT cloth shopping bags in the market

With the ban of thin plastic bags coming into force from today, PNLIT cloth shopping bags are in the market. It is said that one reusable bag eliminates an average of a 1000 plastic bags.

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 a year ago, we had tried to get these same shops to encourage cloth bags and give discounts to customers who bring their own bags, with limited success. At that time we had collected a list of suppliers of cloth bags, but we saw this as a good opportunity for PNLIT to create jobs in our vicinity. The idea was to get those who cannot work out of home or those who need extra income to make these bags that can be sold. Also, we decided to avoid synthetic cloth and to use cotton/jute as far as possible (unless we get free cloth from which bags can be made).

Over the last couple of weeks, we shared some bag design options with a few ladies from Puttenahalli. Most of them have their own sewing machines and they made some sample pieces. There are some who do not have machines who want to do this and we are trying to get them donated machines. The bags are made from new cloth, are sturdy with good quality stitching, can be washed and are environmentally friendly.

So we currently have ladies from Puttenahalli, who are happy to be able to work from home and who have started earning income of their own.

As of now Fresh Greens fruit and vegetable shop on Puttenahalli Road has started selling the cloth bags supplied by PNLIT @ Rs 40/-. We have also put posters which are displayed in Fresh Greens shop, informing people about the ban on thin plastic bags and encouraging people to use cloth bags.

We are looking out to spread this cloth bag effort to more outlets and are also exploring more economical cloth procurement options so that cloth bags can be made available at the lowest rate.

We look forward to the support of all JP Nagarites, in helping make our area free of plastic bag litter.

A large flock

With the level of water in the lake dwindling as the summer comes on (no place to swim) and with the trees still saplings (no place to roost), we don't expect to see much wild life at the lake. 

Last evening (1-Mar-11), Prasanna and Arathi, along with a young journalist were at the lake and they spotted quite a large flock of birds. They looked like common coots but could they be a duck species? No one was sure. See the pics - this was as close as we could get them.

Identified as Lesser Whistling Ducks.

Efficiency in watering, Boating, Cabin in progress

Today, Prasanna and Padmini, with lots of local help, set up an experiment for efficient watering for saplings at the lake.

Tubes (reused mineral water bottles actually) were put into the earth so that the water poured for the plant reaches the roots directly. After that, mulch (wood pieces) were placed around the stem to keep the water 'in' for longer periods of time. 

Just before this was started, we found someone 'boating', on a lorry tube, cheered by his friends. We thought he was after the birds but it seems he was fishing. He had caught one large tilapia. It seems that the water depth is 6-10 feet.

The foundation of the security cabin at the lake entrance was completed today. The cabin should be ready in a couple of weeks.

'Charitable Trust' status received

PNLIT received the status of 'Charitable Trust' from the Income Tax Department vide a certificate dated 11-Feb-2011. 

Registration u/s 12AA of the I.T. Act 1961 has been granted w.e.f. Assessment Year 2011-2012 in the status of Charitable Trust, at No. DIT(E)BLR/12AA/P-429/AABTP7792D/ITO(E)/Vol 2010-11. Therefore, subject to the fulfillment of conditions laid down in sections 11 to 13 of the I.T. Act 1961, the trust is eligible for income tax exemption. 

Update on happenings at the lake - Feb-11

Pictures taken on 7-Feb-11

Phase 2 that began on 27-Jan-11 is progressing well. Inner fencing and railing work is currently on. There was an adventure on one of the nights when some miscreants tried to pull out the iron pillars. They actually succeeded in taking away 2 of them. After that the contractor has been more careful.  

Our gardener Venkata Reddy took off to his village on 1-Feb. With no rains and hot days, watering the plants is essential. Raghavendra is a temporary hand - till our gardener comes back or we find someone else. He says he is in Bangalore with his parents and will be doing odd jobs till they go back to the village - where he says he goes to school. 

       

Bougainvillea stalks were planted along the fencing in end Oct - early Nov. The orange ones are in bloom.

At the water's edge. The water has receded. The periphery is quite like the fertile plains. We are considering de-weeding whatever is possible when the lake is dry.

Cherry tomatoes collected from the lake bund. That's why we say 'fertile' plains!

'Inlets' to the lake is a main concern. Efforts are on to check sewage from entering the lake, while trying to get the storm water drains connected before the next monsoons.  

More pics here

Dirt IS Good - Composting Workshop

On 30th Jan morning, PNLIT organised a hands-on composting workshop to handle organic waste of the lake.

The workshop attempted to show how easy it is to convert kitchen/garden waste and enrich the soil, and also save water and reduce trash at the landfill. 

More pics here