Credit: Special Arrangement
A Bengaluru-based NGO has been instrumental in rejuvenating Handenahalli lake, located on the outskirts of the city. Called Say Trees, the group has revived seven lakes in Bengaluru and 25 across the country. They aim to rejuvenate 300 lakes by 2030.
The lake, which earlier covered an area of 15.9 acre, has expanded to 19.6 acre after the rejuvenation. The NGO identifies areas that are highly stressed for water and looks at factors like community support and support from local authorities before zeroing in on the lake they plan to rejuvenate. “Just rejuvenating the lake is not enough.
Cooperation of authorities and local residents is equally important for the maintenance and upkeep, and to keep encroachment in check,” says its CEO Lt Commander Deokant Payasi.
The transformation happened over a period of six months. “We had to complete all the work before the onset of monsoon. So a job that usually takes about seven months had to be expedited. We deployed multiple earth movers to complete it in time,” Payasi shares.
The lake was desilted and distributed to farmers. “The lake is surrounded by farmland. Silt is very useful for farmers as it is rich in minerals and can be used as soil,” he explains. It was also filled with debris and waste, which were removed before preparing the lake bed. “We had to ensure there were shallow areas with vegetation to give fish something to feed on. The main bund had to be strengthened and the water holding capacity of the lake had to be increased. The lake, which had been dry for a decade, has now been fed by the rains. It has a water holding capacity of 229 million litres. Inlet and outlet culverts were constructed and a sluice gate was installed. The team also installed a 24/7 sensor to monitor the water level,” he says.
Apart from the water body, the team also worked on landscaping the area around the lake. “We tried to plant as many varieties of plants and trees to attract different species of birds and animals,” he reveals.
They are currently working on fencing the area. “There is no need to fence lakes in rural areas. However, not having a fence makes it easier for encroachers and for construction workers to dump debris. It’s a common problem,” he says. They hope to complete the fencing in a month.
Apart from the Handenahalli lake, the NGO has been involved in the restoration of lakes such as Nanjapura, Choodasandra and Nallurahalli (which was done in collaboration with BBMP).