BENGALURU : Adopting the Japanese technique of bokashi ball treatment that clears off sludge, volunteers are trying to clean Kaikondrahalli lake. The lake has been suffering from algal growth and stench due to the sewage entering the southern part from the side that houses a private property. Also, a major sewage inflow has been taking place near the Rajakaluve inlet, which was causing stench. It was then that Mahadevpura Parisara Samrakshane Mattu Abhivrudhi Samiti (MAPSAS), a volunteer group that works to revives lakes, came together and decided to use the bokashi ball technique to prevent the sewage from entering the lake.
A bokashi (Japanese term meaning fermented organic matter) ball is made using bokashi powder that contains sawdust and husk, mixed with cow dung, red mud sludge from the lake, jaggery and effective microorganism (EM) solution. This mixture is then rolled into balls.
“The bokashi powder and EM solution contain microbes, which are in passive form. The cow dung also contains microbes. When all this is mixed, the microbes start getting active,” Kiran C Kulkarni, a bioremediation expert, told CE. “The jaggery here acts as food for microbes. Once the ball is made, it should be left to ferment. After about five days, white particles start forming on the ball, which shows that it is ready to be put into water. The ball settles down and eats all the sludge present in the lake, keeping it clean,” Kulkarni added.
The problem was partially addressed a few days back when MAPSAS took up the initiative to pour the EM solution into the lake. They have now made about 200 Bokashi balls and left them to get activated.
“A lake so big needs about 500 balls. We have currently made 200, and are waiting for the balls to get activated, after which we will throw them in the lake. We will then wait to see the good results,” a member of MAPSAS said.