80G Exemption for PNLIT

We are delighted to tell you that PNLIT has been given Income Tax exemption under section 80G with a recognition certificate number of DIT(E)BLR/ 80G/ 63/ AABTP7792D/ ITO(E)-2/ Vol 2011 - 2012 dated 21/06/2011

As you are aware, the BBMP has handed over the maintenance of Puttenahalli Lake to us; the first ever citizens' group in Bangalore to be given such a responsibility. Our annual maintenance amount is estimated to be between Rs 5 lakhs to Rs. 6 lakhs. So far we have been able to manage with donations from individual well wishers but it has been a touch and go situation. We need to pay salaries to the gardener, the sweeper and the newly appointed security guard. In addition to individual donations, we are looking for corporate sponsors who have a budget for CSR. Please pass on any leads you may have so that we can pursue them. As per the MOU we have signed with BBMP, we are allowed to display the names of donors prominently at the lake.

With the demolition of the back wall of South City, unfortunate though it is, Puttenahalli lake is only a few steps away from South City. Many of you are hopefully going for a walk at the lake now and you can see for yourself how much work we and the BBMP have done to revive the lake. A lot more needs to be done. We need your help for this. Please donate generously and get tax exemption on your donation.

Many thanks.

Usha

Chairperson, PNLIT

Puttenahalli Government School Prize Distribution June 2011

11th Jun is PNLIT Founder's Day and what better way to celebrate it in 2011, than at the local Puttenahalli Government School, JP Nagar 7th Phase. The school, with Mr Chenna Basappa as Head Master, has 850-odd students in Std 1 to Std 10. The first batch of about 90 students is due to appear for the SSLC exam in April 2012. In addition, there is an Anganwadi that the younger children attend.

PNLIT, along with the staff of Puttenahalli Government School, organised a function to honour the children for academic achievement during 2010-11. Three children from each standard (Std 1 to Std 9 of 2010-11), received a 'goody bag' and a certificate from PNLIT, with the class toppers getting school bags, among other things. Other prizes included notebooks of different kinds, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners, pencil boxes, exam boards, lunch boxes, water bottles, games, books and other items. The best all-round performer received a wrist watch.

All the prizes (worth approximately Rs 35,000/-) were donated and sorted by residents of L&T South City and Brigade Millennium. Our appeal for contributions was so immense that we had enough to give each of the 850-odd children something noteworthy - at least a notebook, pencil and eraser. Some of the contributions are being given to the school for classroom interaction/ infrastructure and library use.

On behalf of Puttenahalli Government School and PNLIT, sincere thanks to all the donors for their generous contributions.

The smiles on the faces of the children said it all... THANK YOU for making it a memorable day!

See the pictures here.

Purple Heron at Puttenahalli Lake

Bird lovers will be interested to note that a large Purple Heron has been spotted at our lake. It most often can be seen sitting on the island.

Pic: Arathi Manay

An update, an appeal

Jan 2009

May 2011

We are happy to tell you that our Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) has signed an MOU with the BBMP to maintain Puttenahalli Lake (Ref. MOU No: CC/EC/(Lakes)/MOU/01/2011-12 Dt. 17.05.2011). This gives official status to what PNLIT has been doing ever since the BBMP began rejuvenating the lake from Feb. 2010.

In order to build on BBMP's work, we had done a donation drive last year. Donations from well wishers like you helped us plant 300 trees, shrubs, hire a gardener and a sweeper. We greatly appreciate your support to a citizens' movement which began in a very small way to save the lake over three years ago (see photographs) to now reach this point of formal recognition of our effort. You may also be interested to know that ours is the first lake in Bangalore to be officially managed by a residents' group. Ours being a people's initiative, the challenge is even more formidable but not impossible.

With the greater responsibility our need for funds is greater and we are starting another donation drive this year. Your contribution will go towards cleaning the lake and its surroundings, planting more saplings, maintaining the garden, securing the lake, feeding inlets to drain water into the lake, upkeep of the toilets or providing drinking water, etc. For your information, we have received the status of Charitable Trust from the IT Dept and expect to get 80G exemption very soon.

Donations may be made in cash, cheque or by direct remittance.

• Cash may be given to our representatives at L&T South City or Brigade Millennium
• Cheques in favour of Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust may be sent to our registered office: B3, 502, South City, Arekere Mico Layout, Off Bannerghatta Road, Bangalore 560 076
• For Direct remittance, please see here.

Please become a Puttenahalli Lake champion!

With best wishes,

Usha
Chairperson, PNLIT

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.