Bengaluru citizens join hands to save their lakes 

Bengaluru citizens work together to save their lakes 

Lakes or tanks were the only water source for agricultural communities in Bengaluru during ancient times, as they did not have a river to depend on. The lakes, however, gradually lost their relevance with better access to piped water and most of them were turning into cesspools of waste and sewage. However, this situation is changing in recent years and many lakes in the city are being restored through strong citizen initiatives supported by the government. 

Lakes provide a range of ecosystem services and help in promoting physical and mental health, and maintaining people’s connection to nature. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the government body in charge of civic amenities and some infrastructural assets including lakes, has 167 lakes under its custody. 

People in the city continue to give high importance to lakes and are becoming increasingly aware of the ecosystem services they provide. With better awareness, these citizen groups are welcoming new initiatives and nature-based solutions that would not just keep the lakes thriving but use them as a means to conserve biodiversity as well.

Some initiatives were criticised earlier for neglecting lake water health while focusing only on creating manicured recreational spaces around lakes. Water quality remains a problem in some lakes as they largely depend on treated wastewater for perennial flow to avoid drying out during summer. Experts feel that more efforts also need to be made to maintain the lake water quality. Citizens efforts are now already underway to create constructed wetlands and floating islands made of environment-friendly materials to keep the water clean and monitor water and shore health at all times. (Mongabay, India).

A farmer in Dakshin Kannada records rainfall data over 47 years

In the Western Ghats, it can rain non-stop for days together, forcing people to stop all activities. But rainfall is now showing a decreasing trend says PGSN Prasad, a 65-year-old farmer from Balila village in Sullia taluk of Dakshina Kannada district who has collected rainfall data of over 47 years. 

The statistics includes maximum and minimum temperatures of the day, rainfall in millimetres, and subjective experience of the day – whether it was hot, windy, cold, etc. He also records the occurrence of cyclones, comets and other meteorological events. According to Prasad, anyone can start recording rainfall, with minimum effort by using a simple cylindrical beaker with flat sides whose circumference needs to be uniform till the bottom. Prasad has been using the same beaker since the 1980s. It has markings in millimetres. 

To get accurate measurements the beaker needs to be kept in an open space, away from foliage or any shelter to ensure that the water collected is from the rain alone and not residual droplets from other surfaces. It also needs a stable support, so that it doesn’t fall and break due to heavy winds. 

Prasad measures the rainwater collected in the container once every 24 hours at 8 am every day, irrespective of the weather conditions. He tabulates each year’s data on charts to get an overview of multiple years at a glance and get insights on weather patterns.

The practice has started gaining popularity in Dakshin Kannada and now over 80 people in Dakshina Kannada and surrounding districts regularly share their measurements in a WhatsApp group. While this practice now helps farmers to predict rainfall and plan their crops, this is an important initiative in the context of gathering information of shifts in climate patterns due to climate change and needs to be emulated everywhere for data generation (Village Square). 

A Karnataka doctor turns barren land into a lush green forest

A doctor has not only helped with his medical expertise, but sowed seeds of change in Karle village in Karnataka’s Hassan district. Dr Tejaswi HJ, has transformed the barren land surrounding the government hospital in the area into a thriving oasis of life. Today, this three-acre canvas boasts over 1,500 plants and trees, with atird of them being fruit bearing trees that include apples, oranges, jackfruit and even jamun. 

The land surrounding the hospital was a barren canvas, when Dr Tejaswi arrived in the village. Weeks of dedicated efforts were needed to clear land. The forest department and local organisations helped him to acquire saplings and secure the funds required to dig pits for planting. 

Of the 1,500 trees and plants that now grace this landscape, around 300 are Ayurvedic and medicinal herbs. The forest has a range of birds and animals like peacocks, hares and other animals, creating a thriving ecosystem. Dr Tejaswi now plans to extend the effort beyond Karle and plans to create a nursery dedicated to fruit-bearing trees, a source of saplings for the entire region. He’s already supplied hundreds of plants to nearby primary healthcare centres with the help of a trust and wants to see an orchard around every hospital (Village Square).

Moga goes green as a tree plantation initiative takes shape

Aiming to address the groundwater crisis in Punjab, a social enterprise Grow-Trees has initiated a project to plant 65,000 trees in Moga district. They will be planted on community land around gurdwaras and schools in various villages. Around 57,552 trees have been planted so far and more will be planted this year.

Moga was chosen owing to its heavy reliance on green fodder, rice and wheat cultivation, which needs  external crop water use, putting pressure on groundwater resources in the area. The main trees species that are planted under the project include Arjun (Terminalia arjuna), Bahera (Terminalia bellirica), Jamun/Java Plum (Syzygium cumini), Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris), Sohanjna (Moringa oleifera), Neem (Azadirachta indica), Indian lilac tree (Melia azedarach), Sheesham (Dalbergia sissoo) and Sagwan (Tectona grandis).

These trees will offset 1.3 million kg of carbon annually upon maturity and help in air purification besides providing herbal medicines and food for communities and wildlife. The trees will also help in reducing run-off and improve groundwater recharge. Grow-Treesom has also created 5,320 workdays for around 120 locals through this project. More planting is scheduled for later this year and as many as 120 people from the local community have been involved in this initiative (Indian Express).

String of wells initiative launched in Virudhnagar district, Tamil Nadu

A water conservation project called 'String of Wells' has been launched by Virudhnagar district that aims at rejuvenation and recharge of 163 defunct and abandoned wells that involves excavating the earth around the wells and laying perforated pipes to collect surface water for recharge. The outer structures of the wells have been redesigned into various shapes such as train compartments and baskets. 

While open wells have been traditionally used for drinking water and irrigation in Virudhnagar, many were abandoned due to lack of water. The revival work was taken up under the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) using finds under the MGNREGA.

The methodology used included excavation around the wells and installation of perforated horizontal and vertical pipes around the wells in four directions to collect surface water. The pipes were closed by end caps and covered by a wire mesh to prevent dirt and dust from entering them. The top portion of the wells was also closed using steel railings and maintained properly. The wells have now become a place of attraction with people noticing them for the first time and are also helping in recharging the water and many of them have been full of water for the first time in years (Times of India).

This is a roundup of important news updates from September 16 - September 30, 2023. View our policy updates this fortnight here