Preserving Natural Richness or Materialistic Wealth- My Views about Bangaluru Lakes

Saying NO is always difficult for me,  whenever I get opportunity & offer to visit Bangaluru …

This time also, when I got Invite from old friend Ashutosh to attend wedding of his Sweet & Very Bright daughter “Anu” on 26th Dec., 2018. I took no time to send my consent & booked my ticket to be part of  this Spl. Ceremony. Thanks to IndiGo to start direct 150 Minutes flight from Doon to B’lore.

As, I am  regular visitor to Bangaluru, since the past three decades and witnessed major landscape changes in and around Bangaluru.

For many professionals, it is a golden period of Indian Silicon Valley/IT Hub of India, looking at its economic growth,  emerging job/employment opportunities and  Investments flowing in . On the contrary, old Bangalorians, nature lovers, concerned citizens and environmentalist raising their concern & voice to check the degradation of its eco-system, poor solid waste management, regular traffic jams & unplanned urban development in Banguluru with amazing gardens/green cover, astonishing lakes & awesome people.

Being a native of Himalayan state of Uttarakhand, huge multi-story buildings, concrete jungle & man-made structures never impress me,  as I always look & love to explore local flora n fauna, culture, tradition, art and landscape of the region.

As scheduled, I landed in Bangalore late evening with my wife Reena, old friend Suryakant Dhasmana and his wife Priyanka. When woke up next morning at Ashutosh’s spacious flat@ Sarjapur Road, I was  surprised to see stunning sunrise view of Kasvanhalli Lake from his 9th floor balcony.

Thanks to Ashutosh, nature lover, who is passionately  trying to save this lake from illegal encroachment and land mafia by approaching local administration, planting trees selflessly all around the lake took us there to show his growing saplings and visiting some migratory birds despite of his busy schedule.

We were joined by  other friends like leading theatre personality Alok Ulfat, Col Sanjay Agarwal and his wife Vandana and spent 2-3 hrs watching  beauty of Kasvanhalli Lake, its flora and fauna along with many  migratory birds around. But the most painful view was upcoming concrete jungle on all sides of the lake.

It was most shocking to read about the status of Bellandur, the largest lake in Bengaluru, which  caught fire some time back after a garbage mound around it was set ablaze. Dry hyacinth and weed around the lake also caught fire, further intensifying the situation. The possibility of toxic chemicals, which are dumped into the lake, causing the fire to flare up cannot be ruled out. 

Though media blamed local authorities, especially Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) . Bellandur, along with Varthur—the other major lakes in Bengaluru— has been ruined because of the constant dumping of untreated sewage and toxic chemicals from small factories.

My only  submission here is that, with the kind of  citizens, civil societies groups and organisations like IIM, IIS, HAL, Infosys, Wipro & many  more prestigious ones, Bangalore is having today, they all should step in to save this beautiful city and join together to rejuvenate its century old water bodies.

I  know  economic growth & financial prosperity is very Important to create jobs for our young generation but at what cost ? Can we have roadmap for sustainable urban development without any further delay, as mentioned in 17 UN-SDGs before it is too late .  We have to look at the carrying capacity of every  town and of course Bangaluru is paying cost for its development & expansion. 

We need many more Ashutosh’s, who are selflessly serving and trying to save our real wealth & rich resources without any financial interest and planted  more than 6000 trees on this  lake side  on his own without any financial support… As its rightly  said that “Save the earth to Feed the world”

Happy  to capture some  Pics@ Kasvanhalli Lake. Delighted to share few