PNLIT quits nurturing Puttenahalli Puttakere - Lakes Division order
Usha Rajagopalan
13/07/2025
Subject: PNLIT told to quit nurturing Puttakere – Lakes Division order
It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that PNLIT has withdrawn from protecting and nurturing Puttenahalli Puttakere from 03 July 2025. We were issued a notice to do so by the Lakes Division, BBMP (Notice attached). It will come as a shock to you, our associates, well-wishers and supporters, but we had been trying to diffuse and avert a showdown for the last two years.
PNLIT was registered in June 2010 but our endeavour to save the lake began earlier. We shall be as brief and precise in summing up our experience of nearly two decades.
Moved by the plight of the dying lake in our locality, we wanted to moot a public campaign in 2008 to get the municipality to save the lake. Residents in the area tried to dissuade us that government officials would not listen to ordinary people; that lakes were the responsibility of the municipality, not ours, tax payers, etc. We didn’t listen to them and were glad we didn’t.
BBMP rejuvenated the lake in 2009/2010 and their Environment Cell team was so encouraging and cooperative that it led to our signing an MoU with them on 17 May 2011 and we became Bengaluru’s first citizen caretakers of a lake. With regard to financial assistance to meet maintenance expenses, we were told, “If we (BBMP) had the money, why would we give the lake to you?”
Indeed, as per the MoU 2011 - 2014, Section 1. Role of PNLIT item xvii, we had to “Bear the full cost of all the above (maintenance) activities (i to xvi).”
We were also told that if anyone complained about the bad condition of the lake, we would be held responsible.
We took our new assignment seriously and involved the neighbourhood. People’s scepticism gave way to enthusiastic participation. They pitched in with volunteer and fund support through donations. [Note PNLIT is a registered charitable trust with 80G exemption for donors, and fully audited and tax compliant.]
We hired the staff and carried out developments which, over the years transformed the lake into a thriving, rich ecosystem. This would not have been possible without the unflagging support of the then Environment Cell and indeed, several other government departments and the community. PNLIT was the bridge between them. We were deeply grateful for their support.
In 2020, the 10th year of PNLIT, we gifted longtime supporters with a tree in their name and the next year, 2021, our nomination fetched BBMP the Earth Day Network Star Municipal Leadership award for its work in restoring 18 lakes in Bengaluru and initiating work on seven more. Following the Lakes Division notice, we have removed the name boards. (Photographs attached)
In Mar 2020, BBMP did not renew their MoUs with us, citizen groups, citing a High Court order in WP 38401/2014 passed on 04 March 2020 which read “...the State Government shall not execute any such MOU with any Corporate Entity (emphasis added). However, this order will not prevent the State Government from taking funds from the Corporate Entities for rejuvenation of lakes.”
Four of us, citizen groups, were admitted as respondents to the writ in 2021 and we waited to tell the Hon’ble Court about our role and contribution to lake conservation. On the strength of the support from the then Lakes Division, we continued to maintain Puttakere for the next two years and then they turned volte face. We were unable to find out the reasons for this sudden loss of trust and breakdown in communication. We started suspending our volunteer engagements, environment awareness programmes, requested donors to withhold their contributions for lake maintenance, and reduced our activities to essential gardening chores. In the belief that the biggest threats to a lake were sewage influx and encroachment, we continued to protect the lake from these. After 17 years, we were on the verge of achieving the seemingly impossible goal of rehabilitating those residing illegally in the lake premises when we got the marching orders. Links to Prajavani reports in English of 27th and 30th March 2025. https://keremanju.blogspot.com/2025/05/puttenahalli-lake-neglect-of.html;
https://keremanju.blogspot.com/2025/05/puttenahalli-lake-rehabilitation-in.html
This notice was the second from the Lakes Division. The first (Ref. No. AEE/Lakes (South)/PR/25/2023-24 dated 09/10/2023) asked us to stop treated water inflow from the STP in South City with immediate effect as it was ‘polluting’ the lake. We were served the notice even after sending photographs and documents to show that the toxic pollutant was leachate from the garbage trucks outside the apartment complex and that the treated water in fact, was diluting it. We continued to be questioned till we resolved it once and for all in March 2025 through MLA Shri M Krishnappa who got the garbage transfer point shifted.
Though uncertain about the future, we decided to celebrate the 15th year of PNLIT with our stakeholders. We had already invited, in person, the heads of government departments (CCed) when we received the notice on 19th June (attached). We went ahead with our celebration on the 28th. Two days later, we sent our response to the notice and withdrew our staff.
We hope that the court will not delay its verdict and that it would enable BBMP to renew their MOU with us and our fellow citizen groups. Meanwhile, our Trust Deed permits other initiatives to improve the areas surrounding the lake. We will consider these in due course. For the present, we shall take a break from community service, surely well-deserved after more than 15 years of “living with the lake” each day!
Having expelled us, the Lakes Division is bound to take excellent care of Puttenahalli Puttakere. We’d like to urge them to take equally good care of all the lakes that still exist in the city and which are in their custody because every lake matters.
Puttenahalli Lake was a triumph of collective action. This video captured the essence of the endeavour. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTHUc-hw_Tc
With heartfelt thanks to all for your tremendous support to PNLIT and Puttenahalli Puttakere.
Satyameva Jayate
Yours truly,
Trustees
PUTTENAHALLI NEIGHBOURHOOD LAKE IMPROVEMENT TRUST
RGN NO.BNG(U)-JPN-129-2010-11
Registered Office: B3, 502, South City, Arekere Mico Layout,
Off Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru 560076
Telephone:
+91 80 41206057 / Mob. 72597 22996
E-mail: puttenah...@gmail.com
Website: http://www.puttenahallilake.in
Usha Rajagopalan, Chairperson, co-founder PNLIT
South City
Arathi Manay, Managing Trustee, co-founder PNLIT
Brigade Millennium (currently residing in Richmond Town)
Nandhini Sriraaman, Treasurer
Adarsh Rhythm
Nupur Jain, Jt Managing Trustee
Brigade Millennium
O P Ramaswamy, co-founder PNLIT
Brigade Millennium
Sangita Agrawal, Trustee
South City
Divya Shetty, Trustee
Brigade Palm Springs
Usha Rajagopalan
I was saddened to hear the news about the recent developments with regard to PNLIT and Puttenahalli lake.The trustees have gone through several phases of joy and sorrow to make it a viable, healthy lake with fresh water and natural beauty with birds, fish etc. A lesser known fact is how PNLIT promoted education of the underprivileged around the lake.After living in the US for over 40 years when I returned to Bangalore in 2012 I wanted to get involved in volunteering and serve the community. One morning when I was walking at the lake I met Mrs. Usha Rajagopalan. During our casual conversation Usha raised the topic about educating the children who live along the slum. It lit a fire in my belly and thus started my journey as a teacher or “ tuition uncle” (as I am now called). I used to sit in the Gazebo in the lake and teach the children. By word of mouth more children joined and I had them come to my home for the classes.One of my first students, whose dad is an auto driver, now works for a software company. So does another girl whose mother is a cook. Both have been employed for the past 4 years after finishing their degrees in Computer Science. As a matter of fact, 3 of my students are graduating this year in Computer Engineering.I am relating the above to tell you how PNLIT gave the kids an opportunity to learn and rise in life. They gave hope to the families.
My sincere thanks to the team and to the many residents who extended financial support to the children.
Elangovan Kulandaivelu
On 26 Jul 2025, at 11:12 AM, Usha Rajagopalan <puttenah...@gmail.com> wrote:
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<The Hindu 14 July.pdf><DH 15 July 2025.jpeg><Blr Mirror 16 July 2025.pdf><Bengaluru’s lake care plan in limbo The Hindu 19 July.pdf>
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