BENGALURU: Can birdwatching groups and gardening classes help save a lake? Residents around Jakkur Lake, who have been maintaining it for three years now, think these can. By organising workshops and hobby clubs around the lake, its keepers hope that other residents around it will have a larger stake in it and therefore take more interest in its upkeep.
Annapurna Kamath, member of Jalposhan, an organisation of residents near the lake, explains this model, “The idea is for the community to take ownership of the lake. They in-turn get benefits through various projects we are initiating. We understand that conservation may not interest everyone. So we have set up certain projects such as learning about gardening and composting. For others, bird watching at the lake may be of interest and yet for more people, cultural programmes with the lake as the setting could be a good incentive to do something for the lake.”
The park, in any case, has demarcated conservation and community zones. One of the latest projects being developed is to make the lake an education hub for learning on sustainability and conservation.
There is already an outdoor learning center that has been visited by a number of schools as well as professionals from various companies. Already volunteers run around 18 to 20 projects, everything from composting to gardening.
There are as many as five to six experts for each project including 10 to 15 citizen volunteers. Most of the programmes take place during the weekends.
One of the most ambitious project in the pipeline is to develop a thriving social space in the park. There plans to build workout and fitness stations along the path people walk and jog, similar to parks in the west, designated areas for more nature-oriented play areas.
Anamika Bist, a resident who has stayed near the lake since 10 years now says she has seen a lot of changes.
“A lot of apartments have started coming up near the lake. I have also seen the lake in a neglected state when the stench from it was unbearable. I think the Jalaposhan is doing a very good job trying to conserve the lake,” she says. Anamika regularly takes part in various activities along with her daughter.
Sushil Jacob, another volunteer with Jalaposhan who joined just a month back, says, “I have been involved in tree planting initiatives as well as drives to clean up the lake recently.”