BENGALURU: The recent spate of rain in Bengaluru, while welcome, is also a reminder that a couple of months of aridity preceded it. The dry spell, however, was an opportunity for Bengaluru-based organisation SayTrees to restore two of the city’s lakes – Krishna Sagara Lake and Valagere Kallahalli Lake – back to life.
According to co-founder Deokant Payasi, the dry spell was critical, providing easy access to the lakes in question. “Lower water levels during this time improve access to the lake bed and reduce the complexity of dewatering and water diversion activities. The dry terrain also enables uninterrupted movement of heavy machinery and smoother execution of earthwork activities before the arrival of the monsoon,” he said.
The task was not without its problems, of course. For Krishna Sagara Lake in Yelahanka, for example, the lake boundary initially lacked clear demarcation, which led to concerns among sections of the local community. This eventually resulted in the department stepping in and formally marking the lake boundary.
“Additionally, natural groundwater seepage observed at the site was ecologically a positive indicator for the lake’s health, but required more extensive engineering intervention during bund and revetment construction as the lake was getting filled every night and needed dewatering again,” added co-founder Kapil Sharma.
Valagere Kallahalli near Sarjapura had its own peculiar set of problems; it shared its boundaries with a graveyard, leading to the need for restoration work being done sensitively. “External factors such as fuel price fluctuations, combined with weather-related delays also influence overall project budgeting and execution schedules,” said Sharma.
Both the restoration projects were carried out with Karnataka forest department officials to ensure that wildlife protection protocols were being followed throughout. “Animals encountered during restoration activities, including pond terrapins, snakes and other reptiles were safely rescued and released into suitable environments or handed over to organisations such as People For Animals,” added Payasi.