Environment Support Group is organising a workshop on ‘Understanding the
role and the importance of Wetlands in Urban spaces.’ The workshop will be
held on 26th September 2009 at the MariGowda Hall in Lal Bagh.

The various sessions are as follows:

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Historical view of lakes in Bangalore
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Current status of Lakes in Bangalore
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Criticality of lakes for water security in Bangalore
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Urban Lakes as functional eco-systems
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Legal and Policy frameworks that govern lakes

The workshop aims to bring together Decision makers, Media, NGOs, Teachers,
Students and the general public.

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Eco-friendly, “green” Ganesha Idols for the Festival

Here’s an announcement I got via Hasiru Usiru:

Those who want unbaked, uncoloured Ganesha vigrahams of the size that can be dissolved at home in a bucket of water and poured back to join your garden soil, can contact

3419177 or 9342303247

or email Chandra Ravikumar at

chandraravikumar@hotmail.com

Here’s an announcement I got via Hasiru Usiru:

Those who want unbaked, uncoloured Ganesha vigrahams of the size that can be dissolved at home in a bucket of water and poured back to join your garden soil, can contact

3419177 or 9342303247

or email Chandra Ravikumar at

chandraravikumar@hotmail.com

A friend of ours has just moved to a place near Hosur and I guess you
can see why. There’s a picturesque lake skirting his backyard.

Just imagine, a place to call home, with a lake attached.
Straight out of a dream sequence.

I didn’t have my regular camera with me and these pictures were taken with
my N72. Not bad at all.

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Today, Environment Support Group, which is working in many ways for the commons of Bangalore and Karnataka, organized a lecture on ‘Rethinking the Indian city, reclaiming its Commons” by Professor Michael Goldman.

Here’s the background about Prof. Goldman that ESG gave in their invitation mail:

“Prof. Michael Goldman is a McKnight Presidential Fellow and professor of Sociology and Global Studies at the University of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, USA. He is the editor of Privatizing Nature: Political Struggle for the Global Commons (Rutgers University Press and Pluto Press), and the author of Imperial Nature: The World Bank and Struggles for Social Justice in the Age of Globalization (Yale University Press 2005; Orient Longman India 2006; Kyoto University Press [in Japanese] 2008), based on a decade-long ethnography of the World Bank. He is currently conducting research in Bangalore on the project,“Bangalore: The Making of a World City,”focusing on the transformations of land, government,and citizenship taking place under liberalization.”

Here’s Leo Saldanha of ESG, introducing Professor Goldman:

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Here’s a message from a friend, about a meeting I consider it important to attend:

There will be a meeting at Environment Support Group (ESG) at 3.30 pm tomorrow (Sat. 5th), to discuss and strategise on two very important issues concerning the city.

1)The BBMP has touted a road-widening program on 91 roads ( to be extended to 123) of Bangalore. Since the announcement of the scheme, ESG and Hasiru Usiru have been opposing the project, as it is irrational and against all basic principles of design and planning.

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If you did a double take on the title, I wouldn’t blame you. The similarity with my earlier post aside, I can assure you that what follows in this post will make you even more aghast.

On my way home after a filling lunch yesterday, I came across the culmination of Durga Pooja celebrations by our Bengali brethren. Couldn’t help but screech to a halt to take pictures of the event. The first of the idols were arriving at the ‘Kalyani’ section of Ulsoor lake for immersion. There was lots of dancing and merrymaking. More revelry was visible than an occasion that called for piety or devotion. Is this what our festivals have come to? Anyway, thats another issue for discussioni. Meanwhile, here’s a first hand look at the events yesterday (pls. excuse me for not setting the right date in the digicam) followed by pictures taken today that reveal the extent of the devastating effect of these immersions.
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Chitra’s post on Sankey Tank inspired me to write about Hebbal Lake. And the timing was just perfect, as I had visited the lake only 3 days ago. A bunch of us had gone there to try our luck in photographing birds. We did not find too many birds that day, but still managed to catch a few of them through the camera.

Morning at Hebbal Lake
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View of the Sankey Tank
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Are you suffering from a water shortage? Do you think you are living in an arid area? No problem! Just approach ICICI Bank!

They will need no guarantors but will give you as many Lakes as you wish!

I have seen the amount, “lakh” (as one One lakh…that’s one followed by five zeroes) being spelt as lac or sometimes even lack…but this is the first time money has become an actual water body!
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A couple enjoying a private moment by the lake

So, we didn’t want to let go of the weekend without a few selfish shots of the city. Anita, friend and photographer, and I, really didn’t know where to head for and finally decided to shoot some unsuspecting lives around the nearby Ulsoor Lake. But it wasn’t as busy as we had expected. The only people lurking around at seven thirty were the couples in love; and only a few. The full moon was the day before and the one in front of us played hide and seek with the clouds.
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