Bengaluru Marathon: Rejuvenation of Patalaganga Pond

Story

Patalaganga, a tiny pond covering three acres is nestled in the Nandi Hills and used to be one of the primary sources of water for people living in the surrounding region in the yesteryears. However, over time it has been badly neglected. There is an urgent need for it to be revived in order to increase ground water table, support a thriving flora and fauna ecosystem and also provide a steady supply of water to the nearby Amruthasarovara kalyani which collects crystal clear drinking water after natural filtration.

Current Scenario:

Very little water in the pond
Polluted water stagnated here
Pond inlets and outlets have to identified and cleaned
Scope to improve bio-diversity around the pond

United Way Bengaluru in partnership with Indus Herbs want to undertake the restoration of Patalaganga pond and the Amruthasarovara kalyani by planting 1000 saplings around this area. To save precious rain water which usually flows away and gets wasted, construction of boulder checks and recharge pits have to be undertaken to ensure that water is collected at the right place and the right time.

Mentioned below are the areas of improvement for active community participation and sustained efforts.

Neighborhood Pond Requirements

Areas of support	Activities	Estimated Cost
Plantation of bio-diverse saplings and maintaining the same	Procurement of plants Digging of pits Sourcing manure and red earth Stakes for supporting saplings Planting and maintenance of 1000 plants for one year	Rs. 5,00,000 (Rs.500 per plant*1,000 nos.)
Construction of boulder check and recharge pit to increase water table of the pond	For the boulder check, check dams with tri-level stone masonry have to be constructed between two stream bunds to streamline water-flow and prevent evaporation of water. For the recharge pit, 20 feet deep well has to be dug and filled with sand and stones to help recharge water.	Rs.65,000/-