When governments ignore the laws that are there to protect nature and wildlife, it is up to communities to stand up and hold them to account.

Yelahanka, Bengaluru, India
Yelahanka is the birth place of Nadaprabhu Kempekowda I, founder of City of Bengaluru. A fast growing suburb to Bengaluru with Aprox 3,00,000 people as per Census of 2011. Yelahanka’s growth has been manifold during the last decade with increased housing opportunities and employment due to increased domestication as the erstwhile township of Yelahanka was annexed to Bengaluru forming Brahut Bengaluru Municipal Corporation.

Glory of Yelahanka and Bengaluru.
The city of Bengaluru was attributed to “A City of 1000 Lakes” and the lakes of Bengaluru were designed Scientifically (Rajakalavas, wetlands etc) by the kings and administrators of Bengaluru  and Suburban areas  since 16th Century. In the 1960s the number of tanks and lakes was 280 and less than 80 in 1993 In the recent days, Bengaluru is left with hardly around 100 Lakes.  Yelahanka remained as an outskirt of Bengaluru till 2008 and hence the lakes of Yelahanaka were grossly unaffected by Urbanization till recent years. However Bengaluru has recently witnessed disasters at Belandur and Varthur Lakes seen with several feet of Forth and catching fire.

Detrition of Lakes and Causes
With the urbanization in recent years Lakes of Yelahanaka (Puttenahalli Kere and Yelahanka Kere) are detreating due to

• Untreated Sewage flowing into the lakes as BWSSB has a defunct STP and recklessly leave the sewage into Puttenahalli Lake.
• Environmental pollution due upcoming 370 MW Gas based power plant at an Arial distance of 500 mts from Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake which is declared as Bird Reserve. We fear destruction of flora and fauna of both Yelahanaka Lake and Puttenhalli Lake.
• Impact on biodiversity due to sewage inflow into Freshwater lake and also environmental pollution caused due to upcoming 370MW power plant.

(Experts have discovered 49 species of birds breeding at Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake. With the powerplant in the neighbourhood, these birds will lose their home.  Among those birds are darters, painted storks, black-crowned night herons, purple herons, pond herons, egrets, Asian openbill storks, Eurasian spoonbills, spot-billed pelicans, little grebes, little cormorants, spot-billed ducks, purple moorhens and common sandpipers. )

• Destruction of Wetland connecting Puttenahalli Lake and Yelahanka Lake by making a culvert which has impacted the natural method of Water Purification.
• With the destruction of both the lakes, the lakes in the chain and wetlands will be adversely impacted.

Appeal
In 2013, we the residents of Yelahanaka have decided to form a Trust in the name and style “Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust” to work towards rejuvenation of the lake and bird conservation.

In 2015 we initiated and achieved a success towards making Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake a Bird reserve.

Many similar groups have started to work towards restoration of lakes in Bangalore and a group of residents have had a success in towards rejuvenation of Yelahanaka Lake with the total funds of INR 50 Crores.
We at Puttenahalli Lake have taken technical support and consulting advise from eminent scientists from Indian Institute of Sciences (IISc, Bengaluru) and have worked in Tandem with Karnataka Forest Department towards rejuvenation of Lake.

We the volunteers at Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust are seeking funds to

• Access the impact of Gas Based Powerplant near the lake by employing eminent consultants.
• Provide possible support to protect the Environment by evaluating possibilities of reducing the impact of powerplant in a proximity to lakes.
• Establish an education hub to study and create interest among students in ecology, hydrology and Ornithology.

 
About Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust
Trust Registration Number BNG(U)YLNK/BKIV/13/2014, Income Tax PAN No. AAATY4138R. Income Tax 12A received.