Harohalli Lake in trouble? The lake officials don’t care to know the cause!
On the 27th, the Lake Walkers invited environmental activists to visit Harohalli Lake in North Bangalore. This 90-acre lake has significant water storage capacity. Members of the Green Circle visited the lake. They found 12 dead fish. These fish ranged in size from 12 to 18 inches. They were located along the lake’s periphery. To their surprise, they also found two dead pelicans, and one was in a dying condition. Dr. Selvarajan of Green Circle suspects that the fish died due to a deficiency of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in the water. Another possibility he considers is contamination from untreated sewage entering the lake. Green Circle raised this issue with the Commissioner of the Greater Bangalore Authority (GBA) and the Fisheries Department. They have also contacted the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). The lake Managers perhaps been instructed to remove the dead fish and pelicans. But it is unclear whether any further actions will be taken to prevent future deaths. The next steps to prevent future fatalities remain unclear. Dr. Selvarajan poses an important question: “If authorities claim the deaths were caused by low oxygen levels due to extremely cold conditions, then why did the pelicans die? These resilient birds are usually capable of surviving harsh weather.” Another local resident emphasized the urgent need for a thorough investigation into the quality of the water, stressing the importance of finding out whether similar tragic incidents have been reported in other lakes.
A Walk for Lake awareness campaign was organised by Green Circle on 7.12.25 at Avalahalli lake, Yelahanka, Bangalore. More than 1000 participated in the program. The walk started at Avalahalli lake with Yelahanka MLA S R Viswanath in the forefront along with Green Circle volunteers, Gram panchayat members, residents from the local apartments & layouts, Avalahalli village, BMS IT&M volunteers, NSS, NCC and Rotaract club. Children from Charitable institutions like People’s Trust and Vidya Gokula also joined the rally and staged cultural programs highlighting the need for saving the lake. A human chain and Aarthi were also staged during the rally. Nanje Gowda, Patron of Green Circle, says, ‘The city was once known for its numerous lakes. At one point, it boasted over 1,000 lakes; however, due to extensive urbanisation and extensive encroachment, that number has dwindled to fewer than 200.’ Residents were concerned that Avalahalli Lake could suffer the same fate as other lakes if timely action is not taken. A group of vigilant citizens, under the banner of Green Circle, launched a movement to save the lake four years ago. Navigating this task proved challenging, as the lake is surrounded by a maze of apartment buildings and a diverse array of layouts. Each twist and turn added an intriguing layer to the experience! Green Circle decided to engage residents, authorities and panchayat members. Yelahanka MLA S R Viswanath pledged his support. Green Circle found that the lake was home to about 75 bird species. Ramachandra, Vice President of Green Circle, says, ‘We found that illegal activities, including fishing and open defecation, are rampant as the lake had neither a fence nor a security guard. The water quality was poor and polluted. The inlets and outlets were clogged. We took up the matter with the local Panchayat Authorities and BBMP (now GBA). ‘We realized that the water quality is bad because the nearby colonies throw the untreated sewage into the lake,’ adds Kumar Kalyandurg, Secretary of Green Circle. Vidyasagar Arya from Green Circle coordinated with municipal authorities to apprise them of the need to survey the feeder canal (Kaluve) that connects to the nearby Krishna Sagara Lake. Chairman of Green Circle V Selvarajan says, ‘The canal is currently not linked to the lake, which leads to frequent flooding during the rainy season. Although the Panchayat began restoring the canal, the work was delayed due to a petition from some residents against the Kaluve rejuvenation, as the route passes through their plots. The present walk is to impress the locals about the urgent need to connect the lakes. The walk for lake awareness event started from Avalahalli lake and walked alongside the proposed canal and reached the Krishna Sagara lake, from where the canal originates. The walk ended at Avalahalli lake after the MLA inspected the Kaluve and its encroachment points. Singanayakanahalli Panchayat President Amravathamma also joined the walk. Other Panchayat members included Muni Reddy, Keshavmurthy, Prasanth Reddy, Manjunath, Nanje Gowda, Kran Kumar, Babu, Sathish Reddy, Girish, and others participated. From Green Circle Selvarajan, Ramachandra, Vasanth Kumar Shetty, Kumar Kalyandurg, Vidhyasagar Arya, Sandip Kumar Mukhopodhyay, Biju, Virabathrappa, and Vidya Badri joined the walk. Nanje Gowda, patron of Green Circle, proposed the vote of thanks
Down to Earth care needed – Green Circle Chairman Dr V Selvarajan
Presidency School of Law conducted an intra-university poster-making competition titled ‘Art for Earth‘. This was to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2025. The theme for this year was “Our Power, Our Planet“. This initiative aimed to combine artistic expression with environmental advocacy. It sought to foster a culture of awareness among the youth. It also aimed to instill responsibility in them. The key resource person for the event was Dr. V. Selva Rajan, an environmentalist. A good number of participants attended the event. They designed compelling and thoughtful posters. These highlighted the role of legal frameworks in fostering sustainability. The competition served as an educational tool. It was also an advocacy tool. Students transformed complex legal and social theories into compelling visual narratives. Dr. Saroj Sharma Dean, School of law, welcomed the gathering. This event was coordinated by Dr. Mohd Saleem, Associate Professor, and Ms. Toshali Pattnaik, Assistant Professor.
The report of the Presidency University School of law is given in the link. Click the link below to view.
Yelahanka MLA S R Vishwanath addressed the Kere Connect Habba, a lake festival at Avalahalli Lake. He mentioned an attempt was made a decade ago. The goal was to construct a building for Chitra Kala Parishad at Yelahanka Avalahalli Lake. He added that a lot of conservation efforts have been made to protect the lake. However, a Sewage Treatment Plant is still needed to ensure the water quality. Lauding the efforts of Green Circle, he said that a bullock cart will be the future mode of conveyance. This is because fossil fuels extracted in the world are depleting at a faster rate. Rightly, a bullock cart is symbolically exhibited at the venue Green Circle, the organizers of Kere connect habba 2025. A bullock cart with the above message was provided for the kids. These kids participated in a Drawing competition. They enjoyed a ride around the Yelahanka Avalahalli Lake. Selvarajan, Chairman of Green Circle said that the lake was upgraded. It moved from the E category to the D category. This change was due to extensive conservation efforts. Vidyasagar, a member of Green Circle, added that the Rajakaluve feeding the lake has changed over the years. It has been converted into sewerage. The matter has been taken up with Yelahanka Tehsildar. The lake needs a non-mechanized Sewage Treatment Plant to filter the pollutants entering the lake. Kere Connect habba was a day-long festival of the lake. It was initiated by India Cares Foundation, Friends of Lakes, and DCS bank witnessed more than 1500 footfalls. The festival included a variety of programs. The activities included a drawing competition on the lake ecosystem and a workshop on composting. There was also rooftop gardening, cultural programs, and traditional games. At sunset, an Aarthi was also performed at the lake and a large number of participants displayed a human chain. Residents of the nearby apartments, and villages in Singanayakkanahalli and Rajanugunte Panchayats also participated in the program.
V Selvarajan, Chairman Green Circle thought of celebrating his 70th birthday by planting 70 saplings. So he has procured the saplings through Jeevan Mukthi, an NGO committed to greening Bangalore. They collect native saplings from local growers and supply the saplings free of cost. Selvarajan has taken the expenses for procuring the saplings and leveling the land to get it prepared for plantation. On this Birthday, he planted 70 saplings and after that the remaining 30 saplings were also planted
Republic day celebration in association with People’s Trust
Bangalore: Green Circle in association with People’s Trust observed the 76th anniversary of India’s Republic Day, which coincides with World Environmental Education Day. After the unfurling of the national flag by Chief Guest Dr. Rajesh Gopinath, Prof of Civil Engineering Dept, BMS Institute of Technology, Yelahanka, the students of Sai Shankar Vidyashala, Sriramanahalli held a March Past, followed by a patriotic dance program. On this occasion, Green Circle honoured the noted Environmental Educator, Dr Rajesh Gopinath, and presented the Green Teachers Award to him.
Speaking on the occasion, Selvarajan Chairman of Green Circle said, ‘Green Circle has instituted the Green Teacher Award to mark the World Environmental Education Day. Dr Rajesh Gopinath is an inspiration for students. Coordinating eco club activities at BMS IT, he has guided the students to make seed balls and conducted check-listing of flora and fauna at BMSIT’. Harish Uthaiah of People’s Trust presented a memento on behalf of Sai Shankar Vidyashala. Thanking both Green Circle and People’s trust, Dr Rajesh said, ‘As Coordinator of eco club at BMS IT, I have always been trying to engage in education as a major tool to inculcate environmental values in kids. wish to innovate the methods to improve its effectiveness.
Crossword Puzzle on Environmental topics is a step in this direction wherein students can learn by unconventional methods and, most importantly, gain inquisitiveness. I will continue to sensitize and spread awareness.’ Green Circle administered the crossword puzzles on select environmental topics, like pollution, water, and animal behaviour. About 125 Children of Sai Shankar Vidyashala, Sriramanahalli, participated in the puzzle contest. The top three winners were chosen from 8th, 9th, and 10th standard respectively, and were given prizes. Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee of Peoples Trust added, ‘Soon we will be developing the People’s campus as a campus of five senses with the support of Green Circle.’ Pens, note pads and sweets were distributed to all children to mark the occasion.
In 2021, Robin Sharma, the Editor of Dwarka Express, Delhi called me (Dr V Selvarajan) and expressed his anguish about my relocating to Bangalore from Dwarka. However, he continued to interact with him to save the twenty Nilgai, which had been dislocated due to the destruction of the 200-acre natural forest in Bharat Vandana Park in the heart of Dwarka. In the last 3 years, the place has been under the artificial construction of an amusement park. While both lamented that they could not save Bharat Vandana, at least they were taking steps to relocate the Nilgai. As the discussion continued, Robin Sharma requested that I write to Dwarka Express regularly. I suggested an exclusive page called South Express which will carry articles and news items from South India. Once decided, there was no looking back. This page was added as the ninth page of Dwarka Express. While Robin Sharma was happy to spread out to South India, I treated this as an opportunity to write about the environment. Slowly, many authors started contributing useful articles on nature and the environment. When 100 editorials were over, I contemplated a book named OUR ENVIRONMENT, OUR CONCERN. Coincidentally, the title was the mantra of the Dwarka NGO called Green Circle, founded by me. Dwarka Express, in which South Express is a page dedicated to South India released the Book on 7.12.2024 in a glittering function at CCRT Auditorium Sector 7, Dwarka, New Delhi. About 200 Dwarkites attended the function. The function was organized by Green Circle Dwarka Chapter in association with Dwarka Express and Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, Min of Culture, Govt of India. I owe this opportunity to Robin Sharma as South Express has crossed its 118th week. South Express will achieve many more laurels in the years to come. The book published by Alize Publishing is priced at Rs 299 and I will contribute all Royalties earned for the cause of Green Circle, founded by me in 2001. I sincerely remain grateful to all my readers, well-wishers, and friends of nature for their relentless support. This book will be available on the Amazon website from 7.12.24. Again, my sincere thanks to Robin Sharma for this honorary assignment.
Presidency University NSS volunteers participated in a tree plantation drive at Naniah Park at Peoples trust. About 40 volunteers brought the saplings nurtured by them in their University campus. With the help of Rajanugunte Panchayat, 40 saplings were planted.
“We never expected this lake to have such a huge potential!” said Deepa Mohan, leading a team of naturalists from all over Bangalore in a biodiversity survey organized by Green Circle, an environmental organization working for the rejuvenation of Avalahalli lake in North Bangalore. Adding ‘we have spotted 70 species of birds including some uncommon birds like yellow Bittern, Cinnamon Bittern, Lesser Whistling Duck, Ruddy breasted Crake etc” she said that this lake has every potential for naming it as ‘Biodiversity Hotspot’. A team of 20 naturalists specialized in flora and fauna listed birds, bees, butterflies, plants, herbs, trees and shrubs. Naturalist Rishov says, ‘the lake has a lot of plants and trees like Acacia, Asthma Plant, Banyan Bengal Day flower, Blue Ears, Casuarina/Australian Pine, Cluster Fig, Common Fig, insects like Caterpillars, Red Costate Moth, Dwarf Honeybee, Fly, Flesh Fly, Long-legged Honeybee, Grasshopper and butterflies like Apefly, Blue, Gram Blue, Lesser Grass’ Expressing thanks to the survey team, Kumar Kalyandurg, Public Relations Director of Green Circle said, ‘it is amazing to see that volunteers from far off places from South and Central Bangalore have taken pains to visit the lake to record the biodiversity in our lake. We are excited to know that such a lot of natural wealth is available in this lake area’.
Vasnathkumar, another director of Green Circle added, ‘our enthusiasm is gaining momentum. We will be working on rejuvenating the rajakaluve with doubled enthusiasm now’. Satish, a birder said, ‘for me, sighting of a yellow bittern is a great excitement, I didn’t know that this lake is so rich in its diversity’. Karthikeyan Nambiar, another participant recorded 24 varieties of trees and 17 plant species. Dr Selvarajan, Chairman Green Circle said, ‘Green Circle will undertake 3 more surveys on a quarterly basis and study the varieties here. People’s Biodiversity Register will be compiled and submitted to authorities’
In order to explain the residents and potential CSR grantees, GC came out with a 3D model of the landscape covering the lakes and rajakaluve. The model was designed by the students of Civil Engineering department Eco club of BMS Institute of Technology. This was displayed during a Rotary event at Peoples Trust called BASIS program which aimed at guiding social entrepreneurs. Green Circle also attended an interview for CSR grant, though the outcome was not positive
GREEN CIRCLE 