NGO bats for Tarahunase as model lake

The Tarahunase Lake Project initiated by an NGO aims to make the north Bengaluru water body a model lake.

The lake is located in Bettahalasur gram panchayatu. It receives water as a part of the Hebbal-Nagawara (HN) Valley Project.

The restoration is part of the EcoGram project, initiated by The Anonymous Indian Charitable Trust (TAICT) and funded by WeWork. It began in 2022.

The lake has undergone many changes since, including bund stabilisation and creation of floating wetlands and a biodiversity park. Fences and community bins have been installed.

Roshitha Naik, program development director at TAICT, elaborates on the interventions undertaken. An artificial wetland environment was created by building floating islands, planted with vetiver grass, cattails, smartweed and alligator weed. These act as natural water purifiers and help to keep the lake clean and maintain its ecological balance. She added that biodiversity has improved, thanks to native and lake-friendly trees that were planted. After restoration, the groundwater is now available at a depth of 300 feet as opposed to 1,500 feet earlier, Naik says.  

The NGO has also been successful at sensitising local residents to the importance of segregating solid waste. “Almost 91% of segregation has been achieved,” she says.

Garbage dumping and inflow of sewage are two big problems plaguing our lakes. These issues have been addressed in the Tarahunase Lake, says Ram Prasad from Friends of Lakes.