Category: Urban Water Bodies

Revival Of Hauz Khas Lake, Delhi: A Pioneering Adventure of INTACH
Delhi · Urban Water Bodies

Revival Of Hauz Khas Lake, Delhi: A Pioneering Adventure of INTACH

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Guest Blog by Manu Bhatnagar

Even as the water crisis gathers pace time is playing out a requiem for lakes and wetlands. Poor understanding of hydrology, greed driven capture of wetlands by real estate, the adoption of the shortest straight line path by infrastructure development agencies, the effort by engineers to make everything straight and neat by concretization, the plummeting of groundwater tables and the interception of free flowing surface runoff by alteration of basin characteristics are the major drivers of the rapid extinction of our waterbodies.

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A Spring in a City: Struggle to save a tiny spring is a touchstone of our priorities
Groundwater · Urban Rivers · Urban Water Bodies · Urban Water Sector

A Spring in a City: Struggle to save a tiny spring is a touchstone of our priorities

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Shailendra Patel, diminutive and fast-paced, was leading me through a maze of barbed wires, construction debris and iron fences. Pigs and dogs looked up at us with surprise. This was a treasure hunt. With us was Tushar Sarode from Jeevit Nadi. After sliding down a precarious mound of construction debris, the treasure shimmered before us. In the middle of a chaotic Pune suburb, surrounded by a garbage dump, an urban drain and mountains of concrete emerged a sparkling, babbling little spring. It was this spring that Shailendra Patel has been protecting for the past 5 years. If it were not for him, this pool with darting fish and water sliders would be buried under a luxury apartment or a road.

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CITIZEN’S AGENDA FOR BELLANDUR-VARTHUR CATCHMENT
Urban Water Bodies

CITIZEN’S AGENDA FOR BELLANDUR-VARTHUR CATCHMENT

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Guest Blog by MS. NIRMALA GOWDA

Following the trail of Bellandur and Varthur lakes rejuvenation, we discovered the rejuvenation process of the infamous burning lake of Bengaluru to be ad-hoc , illogical and not supported by well documented data and scientific facts. We published a report, “Citizen’s Agenda for Bellandur/Varthur Catchment”, which is a critical review of the works done by the Karnataka state government based on its submissions to NGT and our own site investigations over a period of time. In-depth analysis revealed continued wanton neglect of responsibilities, eluding courts with inaccurate facts and escaping public scrutiny with non-transparent operations.   

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PATODI JOHAD: Narela Youth Rejuvenate a dry Pond
Urban Water Bodies

PATODI JOHAD: Narela Youth Rejuvenate a dry Pond

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The monsoon rains of August 2020 have brought a soothing smile on the faces of villagers working towards revival of Patodi Johad a traditional water body in Narela, a bustling sub-city in North Delhi.

The greenery, cleanliness created over past one year around the pond with joint effort by youth, women, elderly and children have been now complemented by rainwater flooding the pond making it one of best locations in Narela where native plants, water body, blooming garden is thriving.

The sustained efforts by the villagers have not only brought positive change in society by involving people of all ages, but also leading to rebuilding of lost eco-system and improving micro climate. The biggest benefit is slow but sure improvement in ground water table. This account presents glimpses of how this happened.

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Open letter on Bengaluru’s Bellandur & Varthur Lakes’ Rejuvenation
Urban Water Bodies

Open letter on Bengaluru’s Bellandur & Varthur Lakes’ Rejuvenation

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[SANDRP is happy to publish this open letter dated Feb 11, 2020 from Bangalore Environment Trust on the above subject. The letter is addressed to: The Chief Secretary & Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka; The Development Commissioner, Government of Karnataka; The Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department; The Commissioner, Bengaluru Development Authority; The Commissioner, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike; The Chairman, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board; The Chairman & Member Secretary, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board; The Chairman & Member Secretary, Central Pollution Control Board; Regional Directorate (South), Central Pollution Control Board; Director General & Deputy Director General of Forests, MOEFCC; Regional Office (Mahadevpura zone), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Justice N Santosh Hedge, NGT appointed expert committee Chairman, Engineering Member, Bangalore Development Authority. The full text of the letter along with annexures is carried here.]

We are very glad that Karnataka Government is working hard under the ambit of NGT (National Green Tribunal) to rejuvenate Bellandur and Varthur Lakes. While we wholeheartedly thank you, for all your efforts to save the lake, we would also like to join hands with you.

We are putting forth some feedback on the process of rejuvenation. By doing that, we sincerely hope that the government will pause to assess the effectiveness of the actions taken so far and adjust future actions, in collaboration with citizens. Continue reading “Open letter on Bengaluru’s Bellandur & Varthur Lakes’ Rejuvenation” →