Project for rejuvenation of lakes, water saving in Bengaluru launched. (IE)

A project that will bring all stakeholders together to drive a rejuvenation and conservation process for lakes and rivers of Bengaluru, adoption of rainwater harvesting and water saving was launched here today. BWSSB, BBMP, BDA, the Pollution Control Board, Indian Institute of Science and the residents would all be involved in “SUJALAAM – Water for Bengaluru”, the project of a city-based NGO launched by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister H N Ananth Kumar here.

Kumar said the lifestyles over centuries have managed to negatively impact the ecological balance. “It is high time we wake up, protect and rejuvenate our lakes and other existing water bodies,” he said, according to a release by NGO Adamya Chetana, which launched the project.

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“Make Bengaluru greener by at least planting one sapling every week, save water by using it sensibly and conserve water through rainwater harvesting,” he said. “Nadu Prabhu KempeGowda gave us this beautiful city of Bengaluru with 1,452 lakes with many interconnected to act as water balancing reservoirs. Today we are down to 209 lakes, so if not now, it is never,” he said.

Kumar is Chief Patron of Adamya Chetana, of which his wife Tejaswini Ananthkumar is the Managing Trustee.

As part of Adamya Chetana’s Green Lifestyle Initiative and Responsible Living,the NGO had earlier launched programmes like Zero Garbage and Fossil-Fuel Free Kitchen and Plate-Bank and Green Bengaluru. Kamal Bali, Chairman, CII Karnataka and MD, Volvo India and Prof. T V Ramachandra, Dean -Ecological Sciences, IISc were also present, the release said.

Tejaswini Ananth Kumar said all stakeholders, including civic authorities like BDA, BBMP, Pollution Control Board, BWSSB, have been brought together with experts and local residents’ associations to run the project. “It is great we have IISc who have volunteered to be the Technology Partner for the Project,” she said.