KK Halli Lake - Increasing Bio-diversity

So many stories are being drafted by our enthusiastic residents after Kaikondrahalli Lake is rejuvenated. One of the such success stories is 'increase of bio-diversity'. One such enthusiastic bird lover is our friend, Manjunath Prabhu.

Manjunath developed fascination for bird photography about an year back. Since then he captured great moments of our birds in thousands (Residents who follow FORward150 blog has seen his snaps in my previous posting). He heard about our KK Halli rejuvenation and its rich bio-diversity and started shooting.

Amazingly Manjunath found many species and variety of birds. He keeps sending incredible snaps to us. He is gaining perfection in photography and we are gaining watching his snaps.

His could able to enumerate some of the bird species ...
* 3 types of Kingfisher birds - common kingfisher, pied kingfisher(black and white) and white throated kingfisher
* Green Bee Eater
* Red Wattled Lapwing
* Paddy Field Pipit
* Black Dorongo
* White Browed Wagtail
* White Wagtail
* Yellow Wagtail
* Jungle Myna
He says there are many aquatic birds too.

He successfully captured few of them recently  with his camera:

* Yellow Wagtail

* Green Bee Eater

* Red Wattled Lapwing

* White Browed Wagtail

* Malabar Starling

Now you must be thinking of visiting our neighbourhood Ranganthittu!!! Yes, You can visit. Have a nice time taking your little ones for a morning walk and watch these birds. But I humbly request you to keep the lake surroundings clean as the pain involved in rejuvenating the lake was stupendous. More than siz man months are already spent by our beloved FORward150 members to bring the lake live for all of us.

Beautification and jogging track works are already started and hope KK Halli lake soon becomes a must visit place for all of South & East Bangaloreans.

BMTC - ROUTE NO. G - 3 - Latest Schedule

ROUTE NO. G -  3                                                              
M.G.ROAD (MAYOHALL) TO SARJAPURA                                                               
                                                              
Departure from M.G.Road
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630        650       700        705        715        725        735        755        810        825        845        905
920        930       935        945        955      1000      1000       1015      1025      1035      1045     1055
1110    1125     1145      1205      1220      1235      1255       1330      1340      1350      1400     1410
1420    1435     1450      1500      1510      1520      1530       1545      1555      1600      1620     1635
1640    1705     1715      1725      1745      1800      1815       1825      1835      1845      1855     1915
1940    1955     2110       2135     2205          
                                                              
                                                              
Departure from Sarjapura
--------------------------
500        530        600        750        800        805        815        820        830        830        845        845  
905        915        925        940        955      1015      1035      1050      1105      1120      1125       1140  
1155    1155      1210      1215      1220      1230      1250      1305      1320      1340      1400       1415
1430    1450      1505      1530      1535      1540      1555      1615      1630      1645      1655       1705  
1715    1725      1740      1750      1755      1805      1820      1830      1835      1840      1850       1910  
1925    1940      1950      2000      2010      2020      2045      2100

Corruption Saaku ... That's your money Bothered?

Many of us have been watching the political developments in our State with a sense of horror. Everyday, there are reports of new scams, and the number of people implicated in these is astounding. Naturally, this leads to some despair, but I'm sure many of you also wish there was something that could be done about it, beyond being angry.

Now there is. Increasingly, civil society organisations in the city are coming together to work against corruption, and to put together systematic working groups to tackle this problem at every level. This week, a number of such organisations are holding events at different places in the city (this is anti-corruption week, globally). These events will culminate in a walk and rally (including prominent anti-corruption figures in India, and also music by Thermal and a Quarter) on 11 December, this Saturday.

The number of people coming together to ensure the success of these events is increasing. What we need is to accelerate this movement, and show that each one of us is committed to this change. Together, we can ensure that Karnataka gets off the national headlines of shame, and back to putting government in working order.

Please join this Saturday's rally near the Hockey Stadium grounds. Please also consider how your schools, colleges and businesses can participate in the chain of events leading up to the rally. There are many ways you can be a part of this.

For more information, please visit ...
- http://www.saaku.in and
- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177335022283874

We hope you will be a part of this transformation of governance, and we look forward to seeing you at various events this week. Please also tell your friends about Saaku, and bring them too to the rally on Saturday. Together, we can send a message to all political parties and government departments that we want - indeed, we demand - change for the better, and that we will not accept anything less.

Inflow into Ambalipura Lower Lake - Another success story

I think most of us know how difficult it is to work with Government officials to get the works done. And works related to a social cause will take more time, energy and patience. But the following report makes all citizens to feel happy and ready to shower flowers on the officials who are quick in taking actions on matters related to the social causes brought up by the FORward150 active members. I congratulate all the officials who are directly and indirectly helped us in all FORward150 intiatives.

Latest matter in hand successfully executed is a kind of biggest Rain Water Harvesting in the area done with the help of BBMP officials, Army authorities and Lake Development Authority officials. Mr.Rajesh Rao, who is living in the Trinity Acres and Woods taken up task to convince all the three officials and conducted multiple meetings to bring in success in diverting all rain water on army land (one of the age old catchment areas for Iblur and Ambalipura Lower Lakes) into the Ambalipura Lower lake. Rajesh Rao's efforts towards Greener pasture in our area, goal to recharge ground water and bring back almost vanished bird species were successful with Army authorities approval in making small trenches in their land so that all rain water that was going waste earlier is now being harvested in Ambalipura Lower Lake.

Video - Inflow into the lake during last big rain

Ambalipura Lower Lake is located between Trinity Acres, Mantri Flora, SJR Redwoods and the Army Land. Recently this lake was rejuvenated with about 75 lakh rupees by the Lake Development Authority and its execution was closely monitored and changes brought in by the FORward150 members. About 3 weeks back FORward150 members taken up weeding this Ambalipura lower lake bed and it was successful as we have covered 1/3rd of the area.

We Ward 150 residents are proud to have Mr.Rajesh Rao as active FORward150 member who has so much focus on development of society, greenery and rain water harvesting. Kudos to Rajesh!

How to change name in electricity bill

Process for name change in electricity bill (Note: A khata not required)
1. Get NOC (No objection certificate) from your Builder's Office on their letter head. This should indicate that builder has no objection for name change on electricity bill.

2. Get two forms (one AEH form and other indemnity bond form). Forms can be obtained from BESCOM offices or should be available in any stationary shop near BESCOM offices.
Document is known as 'Name Transfer Document' and entire set of Indemnity Bond + Form + NOC format + File can be obtained from BESCOM office for Rs 300 or so.

3. Get an attested copy of your Sale Deed (by Notary or Bank official from where loan in taken). Bank official easily does this. They just need to mention that original copy is with them and photcopy of sale deed is as per original. Bank charges ~Rs.250/-.
Notary attestation is quicker and cheaper. Notary charges Rs.50 to Rs.100 for attestation on your sale deed.

4. Take the NOC, two forms (mentioned in #2), latest paid electricity bill, attested copy of sale deed, copy of khata (if you have) to Junior Engineer (JE), BESCOM, Bellandur (for Bellandur residents).
PLEASE NOTE - Note down the serial number of your Electricity meter and current electricity meter reading while going to submit the application.

5. JE would verify the documents and provide a report.

6. Submit this report along with the documents to BESCOM office, Kudlu gate.
a) Transfer fee of Rs 100 has to be paid.
b) JE at Bellandur Gate will give the report then and there itself - it may take about five minutes.

7. The Bescom office at Kudlu Gate takes roughly one week for name transfer. The JE there who handles the name transfer is Chandrashekhar alias Chandru. (Kudlu gate is on left hand side when going from Silk Board to E-City. Another landmark is Macaulay public school.)

Thanks to the person (I am bad @ remembering names!) who shared information that benefits all residents of Bellandur Ward and may be whole of Bangalore and Karnataka.

Total Mall marches FORward to reduce traffic on roads

Total Mall (Sarjapur Road) management came up with a beautiful idea to introduce Total Bus to reduce traffic on Sarjapur Road and Bellandur-Marathahalli Ring Road.

Bellandur ward is one of the densely populated area. Most of the residents are highly educated and working professionals. Residents regularly visits Total Mall, Sarjapur Road for groceries, vegetables and fruits as it is the first established big malls in this area and also being nearest with accessibility to wide-variety of food joints, apparel stores in its premises made it one of the most popular among the residents.

Considering the popularity among residents, Total Mall management came FORward to introduce Total Bus. Total Bus provides absolutely free drop after Shopping at Total Mall. Total Bus goes through the Bellandur ward starting from Total Mall, Bellandur Gate, Bellandur Junction, Sun City Apartments, Shobha Apartments near IOC petrol pump, Green Glen Layout (GGRA Park), Innovative Multiplex at Marathahalli, Bellandur Junction and back to Total Mall.

Total Bus timings is designed in such a way that it is suitable for Home Makers to go for shopping in the morning and working professionals to visit Total Mall till late night.

With the publicity given by the FORward150, Total Bus got superb response from the Bellandur ward residents. With the request from FORward150 Total Mall management extended the service till Wipro office in Kaikondrahalli on Sarjapur Road. In the future bus may get extended till Doddakanneli and may ever cover Harlur village.

Route Map(pic1)


RouteMap(pic2)
Timings

Weeding Ambalipura Lakebed on 20-Sep-2010

Weeding activity on Ambalipura (lower) lake bed started at around 9:45am. Residents from our Bellandur ward started coming on to the lake bund from 9am. First to arrive at lake was Dr.Ashwin Mahesh, Ramesh Shivaram from Rainbow Residency and Satheesh Amilineni from Green Glen Layout. There was discussion among arrived members till 9:45am on how weeding can be done and different equipment available in market for this kind of activity.

Members started entering lake bed at around 9:45am and started weeding activity. We have planned to start weeding from one side and proceed towards other side and cover area of a one big rectangle. Water depth was about 1.5 feet at the shore and gradually increased to 3 feet when we moved towards the center of the lake.

When weeding activity started it was very easy for volunteers to throw the waste grass on to the shore from lake bed. Challange has appeared in 2 ways. First challange was with thorns on lake bed in water. Every volunteer at front line has pricks and bruises due to thorns and sharp stones. Infact volunteers cleared thorns, therma coal, plastic covers and glass bottles apart from the grass. Second challange was in throwing out the waste when we started moving away from the shore. Some experienced members like Ramesh Shivaram & Rajesh Rao gave idea of forming human chain in passing on the plucked grass to the shore. One successful idea was using of tubs. When grass was plucked it was put on to a floating tub. Filled floating tubs were passed back to the shore in human chain. After one point tubs were not of use as the grass size increased from 2 feet to 5 feet. Some of the grass trees were more than 2 kilos and more than 4 feet tall.

Members came up with innovative ways of passing on the plucked grass using broken logs and pushing floating grass to the shore in human chain. Children of age 6 to 9 years entered into water and went along with the adults towards center of the lake. I remember Baby Era and Master Siddarth were so active in the human chain and appeared enjoying themselves as if it was a life time opportunity. I don't think every child will get such an opportunity to enjoy plucking grass in lake water.

Members enjoyed seeing different species in lake. First one found was Purple Heron by Rajesh Rao then Fresh Water Prawns and Snails by Ramesh Shivaram. Enjoyed watching Ducks got agitated and flying on lake when Kytes started flying at low height near center of the lake. Volunteers were very sensitive while weeding and found bird eggs in a nest at the middle of a grass tree (see the picture below). Volunteers left that particular grass tree untouched.


Biscuits and tea was served for few times to all volunteers in the human chain during weeding operation and all volunteers had a big glow on their faces with satisfaction after seeing the portion of the lake bed got cleaned.

After the activity ended we could see coverage was about 20% of the lake area in a rectangular shape towards the entrance of the lake.

Activity was successful with some RSS members from Kaikondrahalli Shaka joining the activity and it wouldn't have been successful without some labour arranged by Rajesh Rao, active member of FORward150 from Trinity Acres and Woods. Infact weeding idea came from Rajesh Rao and it was taken forward with strong determination by choice by the other active members of FORward150. At the end of the operation it was declared that Mrs.Ashwini operated from front line was the most energetic volunteer and the whole team went in applause for the same.

Discussion on future course of action among active members of FORward150 went on till 12:45pm. It was decided to continue the operation for 1 or 2 days of 3-4 hours each during weekends to remove grass from remaining portion of the lake bed. Later everybody left to their homes for a good shower and lunch.