Bangalore Heroes result announced

The results of Bangalore Mirror's campaign to recognize and acknowledge the city's heroes are out. Of the twenty-four nominees, six initiatives have been selected for the honour. PNLIT is not one of them, but we'd like to take this opportunity to thank all those who voted for us. We look forward to your continued support. May your numbers grow! :-)

To know more about the super six, please see the coverage in today's Bangalore Mirror Bangalore's six pack.

Thanks once again.

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.

Bangalore Heroes - Vote for PNLIT and Puttenahalli Lake

Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) is one of the 24 nominees for IZOD Bangalore Mirror's Bangalore Heroes, people "who stand out for the impact of their initiative and innovativeness of idea". 

NOMINATED FOR 

Turning Puttenahalli Lake from a garbage and sewage dump into a fresh oasis for JP Nagar residents. Read the report on PNLIT here.

Based on public voting and selection by an eight member jury, Mirror will announce the top 5 changemakers of Bangalore. 

Online voting only.

Your vote will enable PNLIT to be in the top five. 

To vote, please visit: http://www.bangaloremirror.com/heroes.cms and look for 

Initiative: Puttenahalli (Neighbourhood) Lake Improvement Trust. You may have to scroll pages to find us. 

Voting ends on 21st November 2013.

Please vote, and please spread the word to others to vote too. 

PNLIT Calendar 2014

PNLIT is delighted to inform you that the PNLIT Calendar for 2014 is ready for printing. A sample page and snapshot of the 12 months are given below.

As you can see, each of these birds is a beauty, shot in high resolution by PNLIT Shutterbugs making the calendar itself a collector's delight not just for the new year but for all time to come. What makes the PNLIT calendar even more special is that these birds are seen in our own little neighbourhood lake, the result of PNLIT's effort to make Puttenahalli Lake an avian paradise!

The desk top calendar will be printed on A5 size quality art paper, 8 sheets, back to back, with durable wiro binding. The cost per piece is only Rs. 200. Postage extra. Sale proceeds will be used for the upkeep of the lake.

Buy a PNLIT Calendar for yourself! Gift it to your near and dear!
To book your copies in advance email <puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com>. Corporate enquiries for bulk orders welcome. Please share this information with your contacts.

Nupur

About the Bangalore Needs You - Civic Action Workshop

The event 'Raise Your Voice Bengaluru' (as I understood it) was to bring those concerned people who would like to participate in their own capacity to make our Karnataka a better place for us and our posterity. The venue was NMKRV College, Jayanagar 3^rd Block on Sunday the 27^th Oct 2013.

The lead person of the organizing group Mr. Rajeev Gowda spoke eloquently and sincerely, so too each and every one of the other seven speakers. The message was loud and clear! People come out and participate as rightful citizens of this nation, demand quality in all aspects & demand good governance.

Mr. Manivannan, IAS, Chief Project Officer at Kar State Highways Improvement Project, spoke about the need for everyone to lodge their protests when they see something amiss in the government departments. He emphasized that if more and more of us insist then any government department will have to buckle under the pressure, and this, he said was completely missing in our country. Also if one person demands explanation, e.g. say complaining about a BMTC bus in bad shape, it then requires a lot of perseverance from that person before the government reacts. Whereas when a number of persons complaining is more, then the remedy coming forward from the government is faster too, that is, he said 'Action time by the government is inversely proportionate to the number of people demanding'.

There was a group of eight youngsters in their 20s. They were from the group that is running a campaign called 'Swalpa Clean Maadi' (Clean up a bit). When they got to know that the program was delayed by about 30 minutes, they went out and cleaned up the foot path and painted up the kerb stones, street address board and even managed to get some lawn and lay it around a tree there. It was quite a stunning sight to see what could be done by a small group in such a short time. Of course there was a short video to show some of the wonderful work these youngsters have been doing.

Retd. Navy officer Commander P.G. Bhat gave out some stunning statistics, recollecting a few:-

That there are something like 67 lakh voters in Bangalore and there are approximately 11 lakh duplicates in them. He said even the MLAs & their families were listed multiple number of times and when asked...  well that's another subject.

Other speakers including Mr. Prithvi Reddy made a mention of the fact that only around 40% of the population vote and out of which half is either spurious or dubious votes, and that means  he said only 20% of this nation's people decide who is to govern us. Hence he insisted that each and every voting card holder must and should make it a point to come out and vote.

Mrs. Usha Rajagopalan's presentation on the people's participation in saving the lake highlighted the fact that only with the help of people can a 'gone for good' kind of a lake can be brought back to life.

Mr. Ashwin Mahesh's with anecdotes drove home the point that a society should increase the number of problem solving people.

Overall the evening program did show that we as citizens could make a big change in the quality and health of this country.

Prasanna

Some references and names:

http://www.theuglyindian.com/

http://www.smartvote.in/

Janaagraha, Praja.org, Abide, Alternative Law Forum, DAKSH, Bengaluru Unites, Bangalore Political Action Committee etc. so on and so forth. Please see the websites for more information on individual activities of these organisations.

Campaigns like:

Pink Chaddi Campaign, Corruption Saaku

Interesting article on P.G. Bhat can be seen here.

Bangalore Needs You - Civic Action Workshop - 27th October 2013

Puttenahalli Lake Revival Team will be there.

---------

Namaskara Bengaluru!

This is your chance to make 'Namma Bengaluru' better.

Come join us at the CIVIC ACTION WORKSHOP on Sunday, 27th October from 4pm - 8pm. Meet civic experts Manivannan (IAS) & Ashwin Mahesh (Mapunity, Lok Satta Party). Learn from success stories of Swalpa Cleanup Maadi & Puttenahalli Lake Revival Team. Engage in a panel discussion with PG Bhat, Prithvi Reddy & Uttara Narayanan on fixing the electoral rolls.

We will also launch our 'Weekend Warriors' program during the event.

Register here NOW! ---> https://bit.ly/civicactionworkshop

Nominated for "Bangalore Heroes"

Bangalore Mirror's Bangalore Heroes campaign looks beyond everyday do-gooders and simple acts of kindness, to honour people or institutions that have decisively and positively changed Bangalore for the better. 

PNLIT is honoured to be nominated for this, for turning Puttenahalli Lake from a dump into a fresh oasis. 

A big thank you for all the support that PNLIT has received - from the BBMP and other authorities, residents of the locality, volunteers, donors, the media and other well-wishers. Without this it would have been impossible to reach this far. We still have miles to go together.      

Bangalore Mirror, 18th Oct 2013

Read the article online here.

See the related video here.

Shrike Sighting

Ever since our volunteers heaved the dead tree down the slope and onto the lake bed it has been a favourite perch for some bird or the other. Mostly though, it was only for mynahs and a stray kingfisher. Some days ago, our gardeners set the tree upright and planted it firmly in the ground, well above the water mark. In the recent downpour, however, the level increased to such an extent that the dead tree was exactly as we had wanted it to be - in a foot or more of water. Since then it has become a perch for Little Cormorants, Pond Herons and the Kingfishers. 

Our dead-tree perch (Pic: Usha)

On 8th Oct. at about 4 p.m., I spotted a new bird on the tree. It was about the size of a sparrow, with a grey crown and shoulders and a maroon back. Its wings and long white tipped tail were black while the underparts of the body were white. A bold white patch on sides heightened the striking colours of the bird. What was it? The black bandit like band over its eyes was a give away. I knew it had to be a Shrike but which one? 

I called Mr. Gopinath an avid bird watcher who from childhood has been keeping a record of every new bird he's seen, time and location. I described the bird that so obligingly sat on the tree, turning this side and that side like a model at a photo shoot. Mr. Gopinath said, "Wait. I'll come." 

That's fine but what if the bird flew away by then? Mr. Gopinath came by car with camera and bird book in hand and we began walking towards the dead tree. Just then OPR spotted a water snake zooming towards the nest of a Common Coot. Mr. Gopinath captured the drama of the snake evading the coots, the chick escaping the predator, the coots finally chasing the snake in the water. 

As we feared, by this time the bird had flown away and all that we saw were the bare branches. I'd taken fairly decent shots of the model bird and we sat on a bench nearby to identify it from Mr. Gopinath's bird book. It was without doubt a Bay-backed Shrike he declared and looked up. There was the bird sitting on the tree once again!

The Bay-backed Shrike (Pic: Gopinath Subbarao)

Subsequently we found out that it is not easy to spot the Bay-backed Shrike in an urban setting. It feeds on small birds, lizards and rats which are normally found in open countryside, thorny jungle and cultivated areas. It so happens that to the right of the dead tree is the highest (and driest part) of the lake overgrown with wild shrubs and bushes. We have rued the elevation here which prevents water from covering the ground but not any more. We have the best of both elements at our lake - water birds and the Bay-backed Shrike.

Lesson I learnt - always go to the lake with a bird guide. 

Happy bird watching to all.
Usha

Celebrating Puttenahalli Lake restoration

One of the highlights of Navaratri is the Golu (Bombe Habba) when dolls are displayed tastefully on shelves. It is also an opportunity for the family to show their creativity by setting up a park or garden with sprouts and little figures. What is less known about Golu is that in earlier times the celebration aimed at encouraging dredging or irrigation canals and river beds. The clay thus removed was used to make the dolls. 

One of the residents at South City invited me yesterday for haldi kumkum. Raji had arranged the Golu in the front room so I went automatically towards it and then stopped short. Near the wall, in front of the Golu steps was a very familiar sight - the Puttenahalli Lake! Raji and her young son Aditya had recreated the lake on thermocol with such attention to details that anyone who's visited the lake even once would be able to identify it! For good measure, on the wall was the PNLIT logo, the date palm!

More pix can be seen here.

I forgot all about the formal assembly of dolls on the shelves and sat on the floor in front of the lake as mesmerized as I am with the real lake! Did Raji know the ancient significance of the clay dolls? Perhaps not but what she and Aditya had done was truly to celebrate the rejuvenation of the lake. This is an honour each of us trustees will treasure for ever!

The vital role a lake plays is to act as catchment and prevent flooding in the area. Last night saw perhaps the heaviest shower in a long time and the water level in the lake has gone up by at least three feet or more.

For more pix see here.

Even with the bulk of the water going to the lake, there's water logging at various places. Imagine what would have happened if our lake had gone the way of hundreds of Bangalore's now extinct lakes! Truly, we do need to celebrate lakes by nurturing each one of them. 

Navaratri greetings to all

Usha

Eggciting Boating at Puttenahalli Lake

Maintaining our Puttenahalli Lake is really so full of challenges which tax, vex and worry us at times but it also springs surprises that make our hearts sing! Today morning was one such great day. Yellappa, the fisherman contractor called to say that his men were on their way to the lake to plant the stakes, remove the new shoots of weeds, clean the water of stray plastic, etc. They had come at 5 a.m. and left the fibre glass coracle at the lake. 

My friends and I swung into action. We had already bought the casuarina poles, three of about 4 ft length and three of about 11 ft. The men sharpened one end of the pole, fixed short halved pieces of bamboo across as a perch for the birds and we set off bearing these poles and the oar while the two men carried the coracle like a big umbrella over their heads. 

Nupur, her little daughter, friend and I went with the two fishermen in the coracle to tell them where to place the poles. That dry fissured ground of a lake bed where we had walked just a few months was covered with several feet of water. Some weed was growing lushly within the water (seen as dirty masses from the ground above). This plant though, is safe, home for the fish and the great variety of life in the lake, seen and unseen. 

We hoped to see some of the 3000 fingerlings we'd released two days ago. We didn't see any. They must be hiding among the weeds. On the surface of the water were hordes of Water Striders skimming everywhere. Among them in the rippling water we saw floating water lilies! Where did they come from? At PNLIT, we'd just been talking about introducing lotus and lilies. The lilies at least was already present and blooming!

Spot-billed ducks

Water lilies

Like the Water Striders we went here and there on the water. The men kept planting the stakes, thrusting it into the ground with force and hammering it firmly into place with a stone. The longest pole at a little over 11 feet was still not long enough for any of the three deepest places at the lake. We therefore got them planted at shallower points with a good foot or two jutting out of the water. Kingfishers, cormorants, your perches are ready. 

Water level markers - cum - bird perches

While removing the alligator weed some weeks ago, the men had left untouched little patches of the weed which had eggs in them, almost all of them of the Common Coot. A few of the older nests were vacant but one had a single egg in it. We went a little further (between the viewing deck and the inlets). Right in the middle of a lush growth was a nest. The men slowly guided the coracle around to give us a glimpse of the contents. The nest contained not one or two but a clutch of SEVEN eggs!  This sight alone was enough to encourage us that we are on the right track in making this little lake in our neighbourhood a secure habitat for birds!

Eggs of the Common Coot

The fishermen, back to deweeding work

Without support from the BBMP, donors, volunteers and well wishers, we would not have been able to achieve this miracle of restoring a lake and seeing it thrive. 

Thank you all. 

Usha