BENGALURU: Konanakunte Lake, located in Bengaluru South, which was reduced to a mini-dumping yard, has been rejuvenated. The dry lake, filled with weeds, garbage, silt and household waste, was rejuvenated in under a year. Aahwahan Foundation, which revived the lake, said it has now evolved into a community space where residents gather for walks, conversations and leisure.
Braja Kishore Pradhan, CEO & Founder of Aahwahan Foundation, said Konanakunte Lake was selected for revival after it got many requests from the community. “The expanse of the lake had shrunken drastically. It was turning into a dumping ground filled with garbage, silt, and weeds. This gradual degradation wiped out the biodiversity and disrupted the lake’s entire ecological balance, making the water toxic and unfit for life. After multiple requests for rejuvenation, we took up the work”, Pradhan added.
The foundation, which has revived 38 lakes across Bengaluru and Karnataka, said a dedicated restoration team was formed, comprising community members, volunteers, and representatives from the Konanakunte Panchayat. Pradhan said every step of the project was guided by collective decision-making and community interest, led by water and environmentalists.
“The first challenge was to clear the accumulated debris, followed by activities such as de-silting, digging, levelling, creating islands, designing pathways, shoreline treatment, and setting up proper inflow and outflow channels for water management. To rejuvenate the lake’s ecosystem, native plant species, Neem, Badami, and Mahogany, and fruit trees, Mango and Sapota, were introduced along the periphery,” he explained, adding that along with the panchayat, they created awareness among residents to encourage sustained conservation practices and prevent pollution. “The lake now stands as solid evidence of successful ecological restoration, and it has regained its vitality, flourishing with aquatic life, surrounded by lush greenery, and supporting a rich biodiversity,” he said.
“The last few summers in Bengaluru have been very harsh, with several borewells going dry. Our rejuvenation efforts in the coming months will significantly improve the water table in the areas around the lake,” he said.
Rudrappa, a resident, said, “Konanakunte Lake had once fully dried out, but when we saw it get filled up again, it was like life itself had come back. This is a change that has altered everything, it has replenished our groundwater, revived our agriculture, and even halted migration. Today, this lake is a living testament that sustainable transformation can keep people rooted and strong.”