Chant green Ganesh mantra to save lake

Sainikpuri: ‘Chanda’ will be given to only those pandals that follow eco-friendly measures, those who use clay idols, no loud speakers, minimum usage of electricity, at least one social initiative, and those who resort to appropriate disposal of puja material This is a sticker designed for the upcoming Ganesh Puja, by Medha Agashe, a resident of Sainikpuri area. Soon the sticker will find space on the doors of the residents, who wish to be a part of this environment-friendly initiative.

It was in June last year that in a bid to increase community interaction and bring back the buzzing side of the locality, Deepa Shailendra with a few other likeminded people began a WhatsApp group ‘Sainikpuri & Beyond’. “Over the time it became a sleepy locality, and people hardly came out, so we began this group, and among various community initiatives, we undertook cleaning up of the Kapra lake,” she shared.

Kapra lake spread over around 113 acres is reduced to 70, thanks to land encroachments and it was filled with debris and plastic waste that was continuously dumped into it. There have been ongoing protests for years to save the lake and build a fence around it. It also became a political agenda over the time. Yet the land sharks managed to change the full tank level (FTL) several times to regularise encroachment, leading to depletion of groundwater in the area.

What began as a small initiative soon spread its wings. The group discovered others actively working in different capacities to save the lake and environment. They combined their efforts with Environmental Foundation of India that has been getting together young college students and corporates to volunteer to clean up Kapra lake, SOUL that is fighting legal battles to save the lakes, CS Chandrasekhar who promotes greenery through his group Swachh Green Sainikpuri, ‘Meri Galli Meri Shaan’ initiative run by Shweta Moni, who paint walls etc.

In addition to cleaning up of lake, which is a continuous process, the group has taken up ‘Save Sparrows’, ‘Care for Stray’, ‘Promotion of Organic Gardens’, ‘Promoting Use of Clay Ganeshas’ among others. The latest on the agenda is hyacinth clean up. It is a fascinating process where people are using makeshift boats, rafts and rakes along with mechanisation to clean the lake up.

The community initiatives brought results for everyone to see. “We used social media to spread our word, and with the help of media and people who helped us spread the word. Today, GHMC gives amazing support and the Irrigation department is doing the fencing work and beautification of the lake premises. Above all, it’s heartening to see the residents coming with families, young kids and students to work for greater good,” relates Deepa.

While the community initiative that has grown organically is a story that will inspire many, there is still a long way to go. There are encroachers that refuse to budge, and as night falls, the lake bank becomes “adda” for miscreants, drug addicts and drunkards.

And, above all the group remembers the nightmarish experience they underwent after the Ganesh immersion last year when all the work they had done until then was reduced to nothing, and the lake was back to being dirty, filled with huge amounts of debris and plastic. The group plans heighten their awareness campaign and re-release a list that they made last year – of leaves that are good for the lake, which can be used for puja and immersed along with a clay Ganesha.

By Rajeshwari Kalyanam