http://www.sparktherise.com/xmlfeeds/5087_rss.xmlen-ushttp://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 "With economic growth, development and climate change, how India decides to govern its environment in the age of rapid transitions is of paramount importance. How individuals, societies and the state confront the myriad trade-offs involved will determine the state of the environment we leave behind us." PAC Colloquium

Public Affairs Centre is organizing a colloquium on Citizen Voices in Environmental Governance on 23-24 August 2012, to explore how citizens can play a constructive role in promoting better environmental policy and governance in India. The venue is the Bangalore International Centre (TERI Complex) in Domlur, Bangalore.

Policymakers, researchers, development experts, activists and committed individuals will be speaking at the colloquium (speakers and the schedule can be seen here) to share their views and experiences on the themes of the colloquium
- Laws, Regulations and Institurions on Environmental Governance in India
- Climate Change: Policies, Debates and Local Initiatives
- Influencing Environmental Policy in India.

Usha Rajagopalan from PNLIT will be one of the speakers. Her presentation titled "Nurturing Puttenahalli Lake - A Case Study" will highlight how public-people partnership can achieve the seemingly impossible task of restoring a lake, making it a replicable model.]]>2012-08-22 13:42:47http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Four new posts:

Cutting a friend to size
Plant a birthday sapling
Cleaning and sprucing up both ends
Meeting of lake teams

Read them on our blog PLOG.
]]>2012-08-08 10:37:40http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 During the early days of PNLIT, an anonymous comment was left in our online Guestbook:
"unless until lake is filled with water 365 days, i do not think we are achieved everything. yes, i appreciate all effort. however need to plan for connective filtered rain water reaching from surrounding area."
Others would jokingly tell us that they'll help in arranging water tankers to fill the lake.

Yes, two water issues have always been bothering us at Puttenahalli Lake:
- getting rain water into the lake, to raise the water level
- getting water outside the lake, for watering saplings, toilets, drinking.

Read the full post on our blogs
Plog and Citizen Matters Puttenahalli Post

]]>2012-07-31 09:48:45http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 The morning started early for some students of BGS NPS, Hulimavu on Saturday, 14th July 2012. Twenty seven children of Std VIII, accompanied by three teachers, attended a nature walk at Puttenahalli Lake. Bird watcher Jaishree Govind joined Usha, Nupur, Prasanna and Sapana to take the children on a guided walk that lasted for almost two hours (7:15 - 9:00 a.m.).

The water level has reduced due to evaporation and the delayed monsoon but many more birds have shifted residence to our lake. A Grey Heron has joined the resident bird community and the Purple Herons have increased in number. The children were thrilled to see the Little and Great Cormorants fishing and drying their wings. Jaishree showed them a Sunbird. The excitement of the morning, however was the sighting of a Tailorbird, hitherto not spotted at the lake.

A tiny thing, the Tailorbird makes up in speed of flight what it lacks in size. Veteran ornithologist Zafar Futehally says that the Tailorbird is a common bird which is finding it difficult to get insects because of the pesticides being used extensively. PNLIT Shutterbug Harish Mahendrakar who was at the lake to catch the early birds on his camera said, "Only saw the tailor bird... Could not click :( ."

With the zeal of Salim Ali, the Father of Indian Bird Watchers, the children ticked off the names of the birds they had spotted in their copies of PNLIT's Sighting Booklet. The little booklet containing information about the lake and a list of the plants and birds at the lake was an invaluable souvenir for them to carry back home from their visit.

Harish's pictures of the walk can be seen here. His pictures at Puttenahalli Lake, taken over the past few months can be seen here.

For PNLIT-guided tours of Puttenahalli Lake, do get in touch <puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com> Cell 7259722996.

PNLIT's blogs - Plog and Citizen Matters Puttenahalli Post. 
]]>2012-07-23 08:20:39http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 We are delighted that PNLIT has been adjudged the Green Star 1st Runner-Up of the People's Green Award at the TCS World 10K Bangalore 2012! The winners were announced at a crowded press conference at ITC Windsor Manor last evening. Prasanna, Usha and Nupur from PNLIT received the award from Kannada actor Mr. Puneet Rajkumar and Mr. Atul Ballal of ITC Windsor Manor.

The TCS World 10K which was held on 27th May had launched the People's Green Awards as "a platform to admire and acknowledge people who share this dream to make earth greener and better place to live in." The nominations were in two categories 'Green Star' - Not for profit green initiatives by individuals, groups/ NGOs and 'Corporate Green Star' - for companies and corporate foundations taking green initiatives. 

Winners were selected on the basis of public voting (30% weightage) and the Jury (70%). The eminent Jury of the Peoples' Green Award which comprised Mr. Karan Bhalla (WWF-COO), Mr. Hem Pande (Joint Secretary, MOEF), Dr. Anil Kumar Dikshit (IIT Bombay), Prof Damodaran (Prof IIM - Bangalore) and Mr. Vivek B Singh (Joint Managing Director, Procam International) screened the final five to judge the winner.

First Runner-Up prize of Rs.50,000 was awarded to PNLIT, our local citizens' initiative to restore and maintain Puttenahalli Lake with public participation. Though PNLIT is only two years old we have managed to save the lake and more importantly, become a model for other resident groups in the city. Our success would not have been possible without support from you, residents in the area. A big, big thanks to all of you. We look forward to your continued support.

Read our blog post and see the pics here.

]]>2012-07-12 09:46:07http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 It has been our desire to make the visits to Puttenahalli Lake more meaningful for everyone. Towards this, those who have visited Puttenahalli Lake recently, would have noticed that they have the help of sighting boards to identify the birds that they spot.

Our grateful thanks to Rotaract members Chandini Vynatheya (who made a PNLIT presentation to Rotaract), Arihant Kumar, Shreyas Harithsa and Ankur Dubey (who took care of the logistics of getting the boards ready and setting them up) and to all the others at the Rotaract Club of Bangalore, the sponsor of these boards at Puttenahalli Lake.

Read the full post and see the pics here.

]]>2012-07-11 16:40:08http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 It's been two years since we formed PNLIT!

To commemorate Founder's Day, today we launch our PNLIT LAKE=LIFE T-shirts.

The purpose of the T-shirts is to increase awareness about the importance of lakes and PNLIT's model of citizen participation in the preservation of our Public Open Spaces. The money generated will go towards the maintenance and improvement of Puttenahalli Lake.

Our thanks to Nagesh of Opus CDM for the creative design – concentric ripples of water, the reflection of the clouds with the shadow of a bird and a tree-leaf… together signifying "life" at a lake.

These "Anniversary Limited Edition" Unisex T-shirts are available in Green Polo neck (sizes S, M, L, XL - currently Rs 390, Assorted colour Round neck (sizes S, M, L - currently Rs 280) and suitable for children from approximately Age 8 upwards and adults.

To get your T-shirts get in touch with the following PNLIT representatives
L&T South City: Sapana (9880554136), Krishnapriya (9449039195)
Brigade Millennium: Nupur (9886629769), Prasanna (9845580227), Ramaswamy (9845079076), Swarupa (9886762618)
or email puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com / pnlitonline@gmail.com.

THE PAST YEAR…

The past year has been very eventful and busy for us, with our focus on making Puttenahalli Lake a well-patronised Public Open Space and a secure avian habitat.

See the pictures and read more on Plog, the PNLIT BLOG.
]]>2012-06-11 16:59:21http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 June 9, 2012
 
Water and hope float in Puttenahalli Kere
Residents around had formed a team to restore the lake. Their efforts are now bearing fruit
Bhavya.Thimmaiah @timesgroup.com

When author Usha Rajagopalan looked out of her balcony at L&T South City, JP Nagar one day in January 2008, she saw a vanishing lake called Puttenahalli Kere. Usha immediately decided to save the lake. She refused to let it die a quick death, like hundreds of other lakes in and around the city.

Together with a few others, Usha formed a team titled ‘Save Our Lake’. The team then brought the lake’s poor condition to the notice of the BBMP. Revival began in January 2010. In June 2010, Usha and three others - Arathi Manay, Prasanna K Vynatheya and O P Ramaswamy — came together as the first trustees of the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT). Realising the significance of the lake, other residents too joined in to save the lake.

“If we want to stay healthy, we need to take care of our environment and conserve lake,” says Sanjeev Daithankar, associate director and a member of PNLIT. He ensures that he does not waste water at home. In fact, the water flow has been reduced so that little water is consumed at home.

About 40 years ago, Bangalore was famed for its lakes. In 1930s and 1940s, there were about 200 to 300 man-made lakes built to hold rainwater. Then came the real estate boom and rampant, unplanned construction struck the death-knell for the city’s lakes.

“Multi-storied buildings have been built on lakes,” says Arathi Manay. “Moreover, sewage is drained into lakes and debris and garbage is dumped into it. The administration has finally realised that lakes are important and are trying in their way to save lakes. We cannot expect the government to do everything. We also need to save lakes. The lakes started getting encroached by debris, garbage and people,” says Arathi.

Read more here.

See the newspaper clip here.

]]>2012-06-09 15:19:49http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 The Bangalore 10K was coming up and registrations had opened. I had not run even 10km in the whole of last year, I decided to skip it. End of story.

Hang on!

A few weeks later I came across an email that said that PNLIT, which is a small organisation, trying to do its best at saving and improving the neighbourhood lake, would be one of the participating NGOs in the fund raiser. That is when I decided to change my mind and participate in the marathon. And raise funds for it at the same time.

Time was short. I had about 20 days to go for the event and I started having second thoughts about if I could finish it. I eased into a routine for the first week and it seemed fine. But, in the second week, I had a small fall off the cycle, that took away a few training days. I realised that a sub 60 minute time for the event would not be possible. The lack of time defined both my targets: 70 minutes for the run and Rs.20,000/- for the fund raiser.

Read more here.]]>2012-06-08 09:10:21http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
PNLIT is a local people's initiative to tackle the problem of dying lakes and water shortage through public participation. We were instrumental in getting the Puttenahalli Lake restored and are the first citizens' group in Bangalore to officially maintain a lake. We work within a very tight budget from donations made mostly by individual well wishers.

The People's Green Award will help us get some financial support and also encourage others to take up lake restoration in their neighbourhood. Together we can save more lakes and avert the impending water crisis in our city.

We appeal to you to please vote for us. VOTING IS SIMPLE. No form to be filled, no Captcha to be deciphered! JUST 3 STEPS

> Click this link http://www.procamrunning.in/tcsworld10k/green_star.php#MyAnchor
> Choose PNLIT
> Enter your name and email id. Click on Submit to register your vote.

Voting closes towards the end of June but do not wait. VOTE NOW!

Please help us win by forwarding this mail to all your relatives, friends and colleagues.

For more information about PNLIT, please visit our website http://www.puttenahallilake.in.

Many thanks.

]]>2012-05-25 09:34:11http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 PNLIT is one of the Participating NGOs at the TCS 10K Marathon to be held in Bangalore on 27th May 2012. Support our runners by donating to PNLIT. Donations can be made through cheque/ DD/ direct remittance (see poster) or by credit/debit card through the PNLIT page on Bangalorecares.in.

More details on how you can donate here.
]]>2012-04-25 21:02:04http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Happenings at Puttenahalli Lake yesterday...

Read our latest post here. 


]]>2012-04-15 09:56:12http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 PNLIT is happy to announce "PNLIT Greenscraps," an introduction to nature journaling which will teach children how to observe, sketch and write about what they see in the natural world around them.

Too often we do not notice that little ladybird sitting on a pale green leaf or the cobweb in an early morning glistening with dew drops. These are the small pleasures that uplift our mood and give meaning to our day. These are invaluable lessons in appreciating natural wonders which stay with us as we grow older.

Ms. Sangeetha Kadur and Ms. Shilpashree who designed the Greenscraps workshops for children will be conducting this introductory session on Sat. 21st April from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The workshop is open for children between ages 8 and 13 years. No.of children admitted is 12 on a first come basis.

For more details on how to register, check our blog.


]]>2012-04-11 14:58:04http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Puttenahalli Lake, like other lakes in Bangalore, is a rain-fed lake. During the monsoons, the water level rises while in the hot summers, the level drops - due to seepage into the ground as well as evaporation. This year we find that the water level is more than last year.

Having abused this resource over several years and reducing it to the garbage dump that it was, it is going to take some time before the lake is brimming with water again. The ground water needs to come up from below, and the trees need to grow, to reduce evaporation rate.

We do have plans to divert more rain water into the lake during the monsoons (finance for this awaited), which will further help the cause of raising the water level.

Weeds thrive when the water level drops, because they have just enough water to keep them healthy, unlike when there is a lot of water to suffocate them. Now, when the water level is at is lowest, is the best time to get rid of at least some of the overgrowth.

A group of 50 volunteers have signed up to help us remove the weeds growing in the shallow edges of Puttenahalli Lake on Sat. 14th April 2012, for a couple of hours in the morning. Others are welcome to join them, but do let us know at <puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com>.

Despite the drop in water, the lake is home to loads of birds. Several birds have built nests among the weeds in the lake bed, so during the de-weeding we will be ensuring that the nests, and the weeds they depend on remain untouched.

]]>2012-04-10 20:50:31http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Today's DNA newspaper carries a story about the vanishing of a lake in Bangalore.

This gives us all an idea of the complexity of any lake-saving effort in Bangalore, and possibly in other parts of India, and the significance of PNLIT's efforts in saving and now nurturing Puttenahalli Lake.  

Read the story - Another lake in Bangalore vanishes



]]>2012-04-09 21:55:21http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 PNLIT at Puttenahalli Lake - Setting up a replicable model for other lakes 

Certificate here.

Together Let's Make Our City A Better Place!


]]>2012-04-08 22:37:02http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 PNLIT is one of the 47 shortlisted nominees of the Namma Bengaluru Awards 2011.

Namma Bengaluru Awards was constituted by Namma Bengaluru Foundation, convened by Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP, to honour such unsung heroes and institutions for their exemplary work towards society.

Nominations were collected under six different categories; groups and organizations, citizens, public officials, public institutions, social entrepreneurs and elected representatives. Out of the shortlisted candidates, a select few will be awarded on 7th April in a glittering ceremony at National College Grounds in Basavanagudi, Bangalore.

Read the full article here.

]]>2012-04-07 11:25:33http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Continuing with our effort of giving an opportunity to all to strengthen their bond with nature, PNLIT is happy to announce the commencement of Community Gardening at Puttenahalli Lake. The concept is simple and grows from the weekend gardening scheme in which several residents from the neighbourhood had participated last year.

This is an opportunity for garden enthusiasts of all ages to come together and collectively work to grow plants organically thus increasing the green space around us. Each group will be given a small plot of land on the lake bund in which to grow plants using organic manure.

Ms Jyothi Nagaraj, a resident of RBI Layout, JP Nagar and a keen gardener, is leading PNLIT's Community Gardening at Puttenahalli Lake.

Several nearby residents have already expressed their interest in community gardening. All those interested are invited to attend a meeting tomorrow, Sat. 7th April at 4 p.m. at the lake. The intent of the meet is to explain the concept of community garden, divide the volunteers into groups and allocate the patches that they need to work on.

We have obtained good red soil and manure. The gardeners have prepared the ground for you to work on. It's overcast in Bangalore this evening. Let's hope it rains tonight and makes the soil easier to work with in the coming days.

Have fun! May you all have green thumbs!!

Read more about Community Gardening here.

]]>2012-04-06 17:53:47http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 We received this email message from Paul M of the Deshpande Foundation, Hubli and are delighted that we are inspiring others to replicate our efforts at Puttenahalli Lake.

Paul and his friends already have the biggest trump card to make them succeed - enthusiasm. We at PNLIT have assured them of our support and guidance to save their lake.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
31st March 2012

Hello,

I was completing some research about lake clean up projects when I discovered your website and was extremely excited and inspired to find out about your excellent project. I work as a teacher in the social entrepreneurship program at an NGO called the Deshpande Foundation in Hubli.

We are currently undertaking one project where we would like to clean up our local lake called Unkal and also provide assistance and business opportunities for the local community. I was very very inspired by your project and believe that its success could be a model for other similar projects like our own.

The corporation has some involvement in the lake as they are trying to complete a park on one side of it however they are not currently providing enough clean-up or assistance to the local community. The situation is quite serious because not only are local people dumping their rubbish in the lake but there are also young boys swimming and fishing amongst the trash (picture here). The community is facing many problems and we are currently collecting data about education, employment etc.

The task ahead of us is absolutely huge but I feel that by having a contact with a project such as yours could provide us with some guidance and direction. We would like to study more about your project, your project plan, how it was implemented and the problems you encountered. If there is any data, documents or personal advice you can share with us then we would be extremely grateful. For example, if you had any reports or recording of information (In English, Kannada or Hindi) then that could be very useful for us. Some of your ideas such as the cloth bag initiative are absolutely excellent and could also provide some assistance to us.

It is very sad for us to see such a wonderful resource in the city being miss used and slowly disappearing. We have great enthusiasm and willingness, we also have 25 individuals with varying experience in community projects however with some of your knowledge we may be able to direct our project in the right direction.

I hope to hear from you soon and that this will be the beginning of a long and fruitful connection.

Thank you for your help,
Paul

]]>2012-03-31 17:54:01http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
This makes conservation projects like Puttenahalli Lake all the more critical. The project is focussed on stabilising the bird habitat and restoring the ecological balance.   

Read the article here. 

]]>2012-03-27 14:56:44http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 PNLIT looks foward to receiving your support for the Grand Finale.
 
Voting period: 2nd April to 15th April 2012

Voting options:
1. Right here on www.sparktherise.com
2. Through SMS (details on voting day)

Excerpts from todays' Rise Blog.

“Rise is moving up above what seems impossible to change. Rise is going from good to better to best, a positive change from which the society stands to gain.”

Top three reasons why you should vote for PNLIT:
* The Puttenahalli Lake nurturing project is a replicable model for lakes in urban areas, with citizens sharing the responsibilities of the local administration.
* Lakes in urban areas are critical for maintaining the ecological balance and need to be protected.
* People need well-maintained Public Open Spaces and this project is one such space – of the people, for the people and by the people.

Read the full blog post here.


]]>2012-03-23 16:01:07http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 When lakes vanish, water tables dip

DNA / Subir Ghosh / Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The term “water woes” has today become a cliché. But it’s not water supply issues or the associated woes that are disturbing. What is, is the fact that water has been disappearing right from under our noses. Bulk of the water supplied to Bangalore has to be carried from afar because there’s precious little groundwater left.

Najeeb KM, regional director of the south-western zone of the Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) offers a pointer as an explanation: “One of the prime reasons groundwater tables have been falling drastically, particularly in the peripheral areas of the city, is the rapid disintegration of lakes. As lakes keep either drying up or being converted for ‘development’ purposes, the water tables are bound to dip.”

The consensus among experts is that the groundwater tables are falling mostly in peripheral areas. “The water table is falling precipitously all along the periphery of thecity where the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) network does not exist, but is rising in the city centre, thanks mainly due to leaking pipes,” says Vishwanath of the Biome Environmental Trust, an NGO that works on water-related issues.

Ramachandra Mohan, professor, Bangalore University, goes further and links lakes to watertables. “Lakes are like kidneys of the ground. They filter the unwanted matter and seep in only the necessary clean water into the ground. But, the number of lakes have gone down in recent years. Groundwater tables have gone down to 1,000 feet. Although there is a enough rain in the city and in the state, there is no place to store it. Lakes have become very shallow too. The number of lakes have decreased as well.”

The relation between lakes and water tables is no mere theory. A case in point is the Puttenahalli Lake which was revived through citizens’ intervention a few years back.

The Chairperson of the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust, Usha Rajagopalan, points out that the groundwater levels in the area have definitely improved. “The increase in number of birds present in the lake is another indicator. At the same time, evaporation has caused the surface level to drop a bit. We are hopeful that soon the 200-odd trees that we have planted around the periphery will reduce the rate of evaporation and the Puttenahalli lake would be full of water even in summer. We are also trying to divert more rainwater into the lake,” says Rajagopalan.

If the number of trucks streaming out of the area is any indication, borewells here are working once again. Says Rajagopalan, “The borewell operators in the area are definitely aware how the restoration of the lake has recharged the water table. I am not very sure if the more educated and economically better-off see the connection, since their supply of bottled water is still intact.The importance of lakes, not only in relation to recharging the water tables, but in so many other ways cannot be underestimated.”

Mohan takes the issue further and predicts a disaster. “We are heading towards a major drought if we don’t take immediate action. In Bangalore, there was a time when we could find water at 25-30ft. Where is that now? This is because, we are not replenishing lakes and have no water sinking areas. Lakes are very important to the city. That’s it.”

Rajagopalan saves the last word as one of advice, “It is in people's own interest to protect lakes/tanks – as much as villagers in the past took care of ponds. Our education and lifestyles have distanced us from nature. We need to take corrective steps urgently so that our children do not suffer because of our callous indifference to nature and to waterbodies in particular.”

Read the article online here.


]]>2012-03-22 20:26:43http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
We are happy to induct two teams of volunteers PNLIT Mitra and PNLIT Young Rangers. As of now we have three supporters in the Mitra (Friends) category and four Young Rangers who make up for their lack in years with youthful enthusiasm.

With these new volunteers to assist us, we shall soon be launching several environment/ lake related activities.

Continuing with our effort of giving an opportunity to all to strengthen their bond with nature, we are happy to announce Community Gardening at Puttenahalli Lake. The concept is simple and grows from the weekend gardening scheme in which several residents from the lake area (including L&T South City and Brigade Millennium) had participated in last year.

This is an invitation to garden enthusiasts of all ages to come together and collectively work to grow plants organically thus increasing the green space around us. Each group will be given a small plot of land on the lake bund in which to grow plants using organic manure.

Ms. Jyothi Nagaraj, a keen gardener who lives in RBI Layout will lead this community project. Read about Jyothi here.

If you would like to join please email asap <puttenahalli.lake@gmail.com>. We propose to begin on Sat. 31st March 2012.


]]>2012-03-21 21:46:10http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
"Puttenahalli Lake, which has been rescued and rejuvenated by the PNLI Trust, was one of the venues that yielded a lot of bird sightings, including those of migratory water fowl like Garganeys and Northern Shovellers."

Read the full report here.
]]>2012-02-15 14:27:12http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Here's a msg posted in Bngbirds group: Please click on the link to read the blog post.

-------------------------
Puttenahalli Kere a nice bird habitat

Dear all,

Just felt like sharing this small write up I did on our visit to this truly surprising lake right in the middle of our city.

It was nice to see how well the birds have adopted to living here when the disturbance to them has been kept minimal.

Kudos again to all the people who worked to make this magic happen.

http://naturerambles.blogspot.com/2012/01/birding-in-urban-lake.html

nanda

]]>2012-01-30 18:27:46http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
Laeeq and Zafar Futehally are veteran ornithologists, related to the "Birdman of India" Salim Ali. Laeeq and her uncle Salim Ali co-authored a book Common Birds in 1967 which has since been reprinted several times and have run into many editions. Zafar is a passionate naturalist who was closely associated with the Bombay Natural History Society. In 1960 he started the Newsletter for Birdwatchers as a forum for birders to share their observations. Zafar had several questions to ask us - what is the source of the water in the lake? What is the depth in summer? How are we raising money to maintain the lake and so on. Their passion for lake restoration and conversion to avian habitats was truly inspirational.

Read the full article here.]]>2012-01-13 19:01:37http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
We were pleasantly surprised when they chose PNLIT! This is certainly a great honour, more so because it was completely unexpected. The TV crew came to the lake some days ago when school children were at the lake. We are especially delighted that the children were also filmed for telecast. Their excitement at seeing the large number of birds in the lake was truly wonderful to watch!

Some people have already seen snippets of the programme featuring PNLIT that were aired today. The programme is scheduled to be aired on Saturday 7th Jan 2012, at 3:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. and repeated on Sunday 8th Jan 2012, at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. For more information on the Amazing Indians series, please see here.


]]>2012-01-04 18:48:07http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
See the newspaper cutting and read the article here


]]>2011-12-30 10:45:17http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087   
Earlier today, two comments were written on this project "Comments" page by a person called Sameer, in which he attributes the comments made on his project page by a person called Sneha Dua, to me.

I clarify that I am in no way connected with Sneha Dua or the comments she may have made regarding any project.



]]>2011-12-29 15:45:40http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 About a hundred of Bangalore’s 280 man-made lakes have disappeared since the 1960s. At long last, says Shilpa Pai Mizar, a popular effort is turning the tide

Usha Rajagopalan is a writer who doesn’t have the time to write. As chairperson of the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT), she is busy saving a lake. Located between two large apartment complexes in south Bangalore, Puttenahalli Lake was an unspoiled water body not very long ago. Recalls S K Srinivas, a keen birdwatcher who has lived in the neighbourhood since 1998, “This was the southern end of Bangalore. Puttenahalli Lake was clean and brimming with water. From my balcony, I could see the whole of Sarakki Lake [an adjacent water body]. You could spot migratory ducks from Europe, and even pelicans. Now, Sarakki Lake is contaminated. Lab tests tell us that our borewell water is as good as sewage — and I was hospitalised recently due to this”.

This is the story of many of the city’s lakes. Bangalore lies in a semi-arid region and the city’s numerous man-made lakes (also known as tanks) were once its source of drinking water. Every one of the city’s administrators, starting with its founding father, Kempe Gowda in the 16th century, recognised the importance of building and maintaining these water bodies. Water from the lakes was used for household needs and irrigation. The lakes added to the city’s biodiversity, had socio-religious uses, and supported traditional professions like fishing. Completely rain-fed, these tanks were interconnected through a network of canals, known as rajakaluve, to prevent flooding.

According to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore’s municipal body, the city had 280 tanks in the 1960s. The number today stands at 183. Where have all the lakes gone? Says Leo F Saldanha, Co-ordinator of Environment Support Group (ESG), a city-based NGO, “We have lost over a 100 lakes due to encroachment and pollution caused by reckless mismanagement of sewage.”

When Rajagopalan looked out of her balcony in January 2008, it was one such lake she cast her eyes on. It was being used as a garbage dump. Parts of the lake were encroached upon, and a few pond herons were its only avian visitors. Puttenahalli Lake was, she says, “crying out to be saved”.

The developers of the apartment complex she lives in promised to tackle the problem. But nothing much happened, and Rajagopalan decided to take up the effort herself. A few signature campaigns and emails later, and with the help of neighbour Ashwin Mahesh, a member of the faculty at the Centre for Public Policy of the Indian Institute of Managament, Bangalore, and an advisor to the state government on urban affairs, the lake was brought to BBMP’s attention. The municipal body kicked off the rejuvenation effort at the lake in 2009. In May 2011, the lake was handed over to the PNLIT for maintenance. By November 2011, more than 40 bird species had been spotted at the lake.

Read the full article online here.
See the newspaper clipping here.]]>2011-12-28 12:22:21http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 On 19th Dec 2011, about 75 middle-school students of The Brigade School, and some staff members, visited Puttenahalli Lake for a hands-on morning.

The children were given a briefing on the condition of the lake prior to its restoration (when it had almost vanished) and they could see the lake for themselves, after restoration. They familiarised themselves with the birds, trees and other life at the lake, through a Nature Walk with expert inputs from avid bird-watchers SK Srinivas and Prasanna. They also spent some time gardening, de-weeding and checking out the on-site waste management.

Photographs of the visit are here.]]>2011-12-22 19:03:49http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 * Reducing temperatures 
* Catching rainwater and recharging the groundwater
* Water supply
* Providing a habitat for animal and plant life

A film by Nishant Ratnakar and Badekkila Pradeep "Err-bane Truth - Dharmambudhi Tank" traces the history of Bangalore lakes and explores more broadly the role of urban lakes. This film was a winning entry in Indiawaterportal's competition "The Lost Lakes of Bangalore".
See the film here. ]]>2011-12-18 12:39:45http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
BBMP (Bangalore Municipality) and PNLIT decided to try the solution for the water in Puttenahalli Lake. Since it involved using chemicals, a trial run was done in a cement tank in an adjoining site, taking 15,000 litres of water from the dirtiest part of the lake into the tank. A week after treating the water, Enzen introduced 3 kg of Tilepia fish (22 numbers). Not only did the fish thrive but the water itself steadily gained clarity.

See pictures of the trial here.

The results of the trial were made public in a press conference at the lake on 9th Dec 2011 and has generated a great deal of interest as a possible solution to clean our city lakes. Officials from the BBMP, Enzen and PNLIT Trustees addressed the press.

See pictures of the press meet here.
See newspaper report here.
See the video of the News9 coverage here.

BBMP may introduce this method to clean the water in a month or so. By purifying the water and increasing the oxygen level, the NNS will control the growth of aquatic weeds and also promote fish life, consequently bringing more birds to our lake. As you can see, we are earnestly working on transforming the lake into an avian habitat.

We need your help to sustain our effort. Please support and vote for PNLIT in Mahindra's Spark the Rise Championship.  

]]>2011-12-12 11:28:42http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087Puttenahalli Lake

* is 'saved lake' of Bangalore.
Two years ago, it was a marshy garbage dump. Now it will remain a 'lake' for a long time to come!

* is a BBMP (Bangalore municipality) lake located in BBMP Ward 187 'Puttenahalli' between two residential apartment enclaves - Brigade Millennium and L&T South City. 

* is the smallest of the 3 lakes of the JP Nagar 7th Phase area in South Bangalore (3 lakes - Jarganahalli, Chunchaghatta, Puttenahalli).

* has an area of 13 acres 25 guntas and the waterbody has a perimeter of 1.1 km.

* is rain-fed with no other water source.

* is sometimes confused with the significantly bigger Jarganahalli Lake (that is also called Sarakki Lake/ Puttenahalli Lake) and the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake.

* is now home to several species of water and land birds, butterflies and many other insects and creatures. 
Over 200 trees have been planted around the periphery of the lake which teems with fish, crabs, water snakes, etc.

In short, the lake is a natural world in a microcosm, a sanctuary in the middle of a concrete urban jungle, a bird-watcher's delight in the heart of human habitation!

Read more about Puttenahalli Lake and it's history here.

See the birds, trees and other life at the lake here.


]]>2011-12-10 00:48:08http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087 Nov 14, 2011
Ashwini M. Sripad

BANGALORE: Rare species of migrant birds, some from other parts of the world, have entered the city. These birds are seen in Puttenahalli Lake on the outskirts of the city.

S K Srinivas, a pharmacist who is an avid bird watcher has captured around 40 species of birds near the lake. “I have seen two Cormorants recently in Puttenahalli lake area. By nature, Cormorant consumes at least three to four kg of fish everyday.” he observed.

He has also captured a wagtail. The white-browed wagtails are common in India. “But this winter, grey wagtail was seen in Puttenahalli Lake. This is one of the rare species which originates from European countries and has migrated,” he said. Srinivas’ camera has also captured the woodpecker. “I have not seen woodpeckers in city limits, normally they are seen in forest area,” he added.

According Srinivas, the Puttenahalli Lake has witnessed a number of winter guests which includes white-naped woodpecker, Blyth’s reed warbler, Black kite, Brahminy kite, Spotted owlet, Barn owl, Barn swallow, Little grebe, White-breasted kingfisher, Spot-billed duck, Lesser whistling duck (visitors), Bronze-winged jacana, Pheasant-tailed jacana, Purple-rumped sunbird and rose-ringed parakeet.

Puttenahalli lake is said to be one among existing three lakes in Bangalore South. Usha Rajagopalan, Chairperson of the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT), said they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to maintain the lake. “This makes us the first residents group of Bangalore to take charge of maintaining a lake,” she said.

According to Usha, Puttenahalli lake was in a pathetic condition earlier with a part encroached upon by some individuals. “After signing the MoU, we have developed the lake with the help of BBMP. In the first phase, last year, BBMP constructed a boundary, de-silting was done and walking tracks were laid,” she added. In the second phase, inner grills were laid which acted as barricade between walker track and the lake.

With this arrangement, human intervention was reduced. “Earlier, we had only Pond Heron and gradually, more number of birds were seen. There are more than 40 different birds, some of them are rare species too,” she added.

“The presence of Cormorant, which consumes more fishes, is clear a sign that lake is in a better condition with more number of fish,” Srinivasan felt.

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Newspaper cutting of the article with photos

Online article 

]]>2011-12-05 10:04:15http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087
Shubho’s son Angshu, a photography buff was full of questions: Why are there so many ducks in the lake? Why are they swimming in the dirty water? Why did the snail hide itself when he poked it?

PNLIT salutes all the child participants for their enthusiasm. They had oohed and aahed at every little thing they were shown whether it was a signature spider, a snail or a common coot. Enjoy their representation of life at Puttenahalli Lake.

Niveditha Reddy, a class 12 student and the oldest youngster following Deepa, listened closely shared, “Nothing is more beautiful than nature. This has truly helped in giving a new dimension to the way I look at things .... absolutely fantastic....”

Well, we think you are all are as fantastic as the birds in the Puttenahalli Lake!

~~~
It is not only water birds that are attracted to the lake but also land birds. Here are a few of them captured recently by Srini, our bird specialist. The best of them all is the pair of house sparrows which have been in the news for their diminishing numbers in cities. The hollow in a dead palm in the coconut grove is the home of a spotted owlet family.The grey headed myna (also called Chestnut-tailed Starling) is another rare sight.

More migrants are coming to the lake. The latest is a flock of Garganey ducks. Srini says, "This is another first for the lake. The garganey is a long-distance migrant that comes in from Europe. It has never been sighted in the Puttenahalli area before. The ducks were right in the center of the lake, and this is the best shot I could get. This is truly a remarkable event!"

Read more about the nature walk and see the pictures here. 

See the flora and fauna at Puttenahalli lake here. 
]]>2011-12-02 10:28:56http://www.sparktherise.com/projectdetail.php?pid=5087By Marianne de Nazareth

Flocks of Garganey ducks have come in from Europe to winter in Bangalore

If you are a bird lover and are concerned with the dwindling numbers of our feathered friends in the city, here's some good news! Birders in Bangalore have sighted flocks of Garganey ducks, which have come in from Europe to winter in Bangalore.

“To my utter surprise, I sighted a small flock of Garganeys (Anas querquedula ) this morning at Puttenahalli lake, JP Nagar 7th Phase, near my home. This is the first time I've ever seen Garganeys here. This is good news for the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust, the local citizen's body that has put in so much effort and personal money into reviving this endangered water body,” said S.K. Srinivas a vendor of scientific instruments and avid birder who first alerted the birding community in the city.

The Puttenahalli lake was on the verge of extinction when a group of concerned citizens got together to revive it.

Arathi Manay, who is the managing trustee of the Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) along with Usha Rajagopalan, Prasanna Vymathya and O.P. Ramaswamy have worked tirelessly towards its restoration. The Puttenahalli Lake lies between the Brigade Millenium and South City apartment blocks in JP Nagar.

“I am thrilled to see the Garganey ducks on our lake. The first sighting was on November 17 and at last our vision of reviving the lake and making it into a bird sanctuary is coming true,” says Usha Rajagopalan, one of the trustees with great excitement.

“It is keen photographers like S.K. Srinivas, who come here and alert us about the birds which have arrived from foreign shores. Srinivas saw five birds and I saw 14 of them.”

STRIKING PLUMAGE

The Garganey duck is a small bird which is one of the species which come under the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) conservation act. This species is migratory and their breeding habitat is grassland adjacent to shallow marshes and steppe lakes.

The adult male has striking plumage with a dark head, a white crescent over his eyes and a reddish brown face. The rest of the duck is a nondescript grey, but in flight his underbelly is pale with a white border. The male has a distinctive mating call and strangely the female is rather silent, but can manage a feeble quack. The Garganey feeds on aquatic plants, seeds and invertebrates, is secretive about breeding and live to be around 20 to 30 years.

It is in their winter quarters that pair-formation occurs and they lay a clutch of about eight eggs, which take around 25 days to incubate in nests hidden among dense grassy vegetation close to water.

J.M. Garg, a photographer, says: “It was really difficult to get my pictures as these ducks generally don't come near the edge. It's difficult to find the birds and even if you do, capturing them on camera is really difficult.”

“All ducks are difficult to photograph because of their acute eye sight and habitat selection, which is in the centre of a large lake.

“During the day when they sleep in flocks, if even one bird spots us, all of them take to flight,” says Raju Khokle who is a city-based wildlife and nature photographer.

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URL of the article:
http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article2674839.ece

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