By Kumar Kalyandurg, Secretary, Green Circle, Bangalore
Bangalore: Rail Wheel Factory in Yelahanka, Bangalore, is a premier manufacturing unit of Indian Railways established in 1984 in a sprawling campus. It produces high-quality steel wheels, axles, and wheelsets for Indian Railways. It is a fully government-owned enterprise under the Ministry of Railways. The factory has been organising environment-related campaigns like Swachhata Pakwada, World Earth Day and World Environment Day events. Dr V Selvarajan was called as the guest speaker on 26.5.26 at their TTE Auditorium to address their 70-plus Trainee engineers. Using a PowerPoint presentation on BEYOND BINS, he highlighted the importance of the new Solid Waste Management Rules 2026, which came into force from 1st April 2026. The importance of the present rules as against the previous rules enacted in 2026 is the envisaged role of Bulk Waste generators (BWG), which generate more than 100 KG solid waste in a day. He added, “This includes big apartments, gated communities and institutions and is expected to reduce the dumping of waste in landfills to the tune of 30%” He also emphasized, “While the bins had been increased to two types from the existing two types, namely dry, wet, sanitary and special category (hazardous) wastes, the focus does not stop in increasing the number of bins”. He titled this talk “BEYOND BINS” to emphasize a circular model that focuses on recycling and recovering reusable items from waste, moving beyond just source segregation. This proposed approach represents a significant shift from a linear economy to a circular economy. The workshop, attended by 70 trainee engineers, was organised by Environment Officer, Sandesh Kini, Senior Section Engineer, Environment Cell, Rail Wheel Factory, Yelahanka, as part of their environment day celebration. At the end, Dr Selvarajan and Kumar Kalyandurg of Green Circle were felicitated for their works in the field of environment by Mahantesh, Works Manager, Quality Systems, Rail Wheel Factory.
Bangalore: Green Circle organized a plogging drive on May 9, 2026, in Avalahalli Village. Although this village is located among urban areas, it remains in better condition than many of its surroundings. Plogging in Avalahalli was easier compared to the nearby urban regions. Over 200 student volunteers from the National Service Scheme (NSS) at BMSIT&M, an engineering college near the village, participated in the event. Green Circle coordinated the plogging drive, which lasted for two hours, with the support of the Singanayakkanahalli Panchayat. The volunteers were divided into smaller groups and assigned different paths: some worked inside the village, others on the road leading to the village, and some along Doddaballapura Road. Wearing gloves, the volunteers collected single-use plastics littered along the roads.
They used cement sacks, typically used for construction, to gather the plastics. In total, nearly 200 kgs of plastic waste were collected, which were then handed over to a truck sent by the Panchayat. Some Panchayat workers also participated in the plogging effort. Additionally, several volunteers went door-to-door in the village to raise awareness about the harmful effects of plastics. Suvarna, an NSS volunteer, shared her experience, saying, “It is interesting to collect discarded plastics. We feel satisfied that we have done something good for Mother Earth. We wish to join more plogging drives and do our part.” Earlier, Nanje Gowda, the Patron of Green Circle, welcomed the participants, and V. Selvarajan, the Chairman of Green Circle, provided instructions to the volunteers. Other Green Circle volunteers included Kiran Taula, Sandip Mukopathya, Manjunath, Namrata, Mohd Saheel, and Jayasree. Professors Manoj and Babu Naik also joined the drive and helped coordinate the activities. Kumar Kalyandurg, Secretary, Green Circle, said, ‘Today’s plogging activity is part of our ‘Mission Clean Bangalore’ program. We will continue to highlight the need for upkeep of the environment in the coming days.’
“Environment First, Efforts Must” True to this vision, Green Circle inspired a team of young volunteers from BMS IT & M in Yelahanka, Bangalore, to participate in a mass marriage event organised by People’s Trust. This annual mass marriage, now in its 23rd year, brought together 27 couples along with their families, relatives, and friends to celebrate this unique occasion. Held in a rural setting, the event was a collaborative effort by a committee of various village leaders under the banner of People’s Trust. The couples were selected based on moderate and low-income backgrounds, as per their applications for the mass marriage. The goal of People’s Trust is to minimise costs related to food and expenses that would have arisen if each marriage were conducted separately. Approximately 5,000 people attended the event, all under one roof. Each couple received essential items such as utensils, provisions, wedding garments, garlands, and Mangalya, with local donors generously contributing to make the event possible. Couples were required to pay a nominal registration fee of ₹500, and nothing more. In preparation, the village committee met multiple times over four months to ensure everything was organised.
Last year, Green Circle noted that about 10,000 one-litre PET bottles were used, with only a quarter of each bottle being consumed by guests. As a result, they recommended scrapping PET bottles altogether. However, this proposal could not be implemented for convenience reasons, but the committee discussed the issue extensively and ultimately decided to use half-litre bottles instead. Green Circle was pleased to hear this decision. On the day of the event, Green Circle extended its voluntary services to assist with the organising efforts. A total of 50 BMS IT volunteers actively participated, helping with tasks such as arranging flowers, assisting couples, and serving food. This year, there was a noticeable reduction in waste. Even the plates used were made from dry leaves, and natural foods were served during the marriage ceremony. Crowd management posed another challenge, as the number of guests exceeded expected levels. On the first day, volunteers served water in paper cups; however, due to the hot weather, the demand was so high that the cups ran out before the event ended. Consequently, on the wedding day, half-litre PET bottles of water were distributed instead. Volunteers collected leftover water from each bottle and sent the PET bottles for recycling, while repurposing the collected water to water the plants in the area. By the end of the day, volunteers felt a sense of satisfaction in contributing positively to Mother Earth. Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee of People’s Trust, while thanking the volunteers, expressed interest in making the mass marriage a model eco-friendly event next year, as they prepare to celebrate the silver jubilee of this initiative soon.
Bangalore: BMS Institute of Technology and Management (BMSIT) organised a Biomimicry event on 22 April 2026. GREEN CIRCLE and the BMS eco club, OIKOS, jointly organised the event to mark World Earth Day. Biomimicry is the practice of learning from nature and using those ideas to solve human problems. The eco club initiative engaged 53 students across 10 teams, each presenting live working models based on biomimicry principles. The projects focused on real-world applications such as water conservation, climate-responsive design, disaster resilience, and sustainable infrastructure. Key innovations included termite mound-inspired passive cooling systems, honeycomb-structured columns, lotus leaf-inspired self-cleaning surfaces, penguin body-based insulation, spider web-inspired earthquake-resistant structures, etc. The models were evaluated by a panel of three juries, including one industry expert, L. R. Phanindra, GE Healthcare, to ensure a balanced assessment of technical feasibility, innovation, and societal relevance. Projects were also mapped to relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasising their contribution to areas such as clean water, sustainable cities, and climate action. Says Prof Rajesh, ‘the event highlighted the potential of nature-inspired solutions in addressing societal needs and stands as a replicable model supporting the objectives of the Bharat Environment Programme’. The best models were awarded in the felicitation ceremony on the same day. First prize was bagged by Manisha Ramisetty’s team, while second and third places were secured by Anagh Manivarnan’s team and Darshan Gowda’s team, respectively. Dr V. Selvarajan, Green Circle, made a presentation on an eco STP model at People’s Trust based on the cow’s four-chamber stomach designed on the biomimicry principle. Speaking on the occasion, Principal of BMS IT & M, Dr Sanjay H. A. lauded the efforts of the eco club and encouraged them to do some extracurricular activity on every Saturday. Harish Uthaiah, People’s Trust and Kumar Kalyandurg, Green Circle, were present. Jury members of the Drawing competition, Dr V Selvarajan, Vasantha Kumar, Green Circle, Sreelakshmi B. K., Lumen Technologies and L. R. Phanindra, GE Healthcare, were honoured on the occasion. Rakshitha V, Nedium Chandana, Bhoomika S B, and Machireddy Dhanitha were also awarded the prizes for winning the drawing competition.
Bengaluru, April 22: Oceanik Education Society observed World Earth Day with an environmental awareness programme at its campus, drawing participation from 167 students and 39 staff members. Dr. V. Selvarajan, Chairman of Green Circle Bangalore, attended as Chief Guest, alongside Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee of People’s Trust and Kumar Kalyandurg, Secretary, Green Circle, as Guests of Honour. The Institution encourages inclusive education where differently abled children go hand in hand with other students who foster fraternity and friendship. The event featured inter-college competitions in drawing, painting, poster-making, and essay writing, with prizes awarded to winners. A parallel seedball activity led to the preparation of around 1,050 seed balls for afforestation efforts. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Selvarajan highlighted the urgency of climate action, pointing to rising temperatures, food wastage, and increasing waste generation. He urged students to adopt sustainable practices and follow the principle “Think Globally, Act Locally.” The programme concluded with a vote of thanks, leaving students inspired to contribute towards environmental conservation. Principal Prof. Shobha K. M. welcomed all. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Ravi. Dr. N.M. Poovaiah, Founder of the Institution, felicitated all.
Bangalore: Sai Shankar Vidhya Shala, a rural school at People’s Trust campus in Sriramanahalli, Yelahanka, Bangalore, organised a summer camp for the children from villages. About 30 children participated in the camp. Children were taught Yoga, meditation, dance, and robotics, as well as eco-friendly crafts like paper bag making, Food chain game, Biodiversity Appreciation Album making, and Poster making on what children can do to save the environment. The camp was inaugurated on 14.4.26 by V Selvarajan. Ganga Bhavani, Head Mistress, Sai Shankar Vidhya Shala welcomed the gathering. Hairsh Uthaiah, Managing Trustee of People’s Trust, delivered the keynote address and thanked everyone for joining. Some fun activities and painting programs were also part of the program. Kumar Kalyandurg of Green Circle says that such summer camps engage the children usefully during the holidays. Meenakshi Bose, an artist, guided the students to make paper bags. She also displayed her acrylic paintings during the camp. Shyna and Chalapathi of People’s Trust trained the students in Yoga and meditation. Teachers Rajini, Rathnamma, Vishavani, Pavithra, Sunitha and Venkatesh volunteered to manage the camp. School Administrator Neetha Uthaiah supervised the camp events.
Bangalore: On 1st April 2026, a Community Organisation Programme focusing on Climate Action Initiatives was conducted by Rohan Benoy and Roshan K. Thomas, students from Kristu Jayanti College. The event was organised for 40 students from classes 6 and 7 of the Total Residential Education Program (TREP) at Sri Sathya Sai Shankar Vidyanikethanam at People’s Trust, Sriramanahalli, Rajanukunte, Bangalore. The objective of the programme was to raise awareness among young students about the importance of environmental conservation and sustainable living, especially in light of the pressing global challenge of climate change. The speaker on the occasion, Dr V. Selvarajan, Chairman, Green Circle, told the children that climate action is possible at their level if they adopt certain environment-friendly simple actions. He gave a list of 10 points and advised the students to practice the same. The other speakers included Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee of People’s Trust and Kumar Kalyandurg of Green Circle. Topics covered included waste reduction, resource conservation, and the adoption of eco-friendly habits in daily life. The students came away with the understanding that small actions can lead to significant impacts. They learned practical methods to tackle environmental challenges, such as minimising plastic use, planting trees, saving water, and embracing sustainable alternatives in their routines. The organizer of the program Rohan, said that this program was aimed at enhancing students’ understanding of climate issues and inspiring them to engage in environmental conservation. It fostered a sense of responsibility for a sustainable future. Roshan adds, ‘After listening to the talk, I feel that children can contribute a lot in the form of simple climate action initiatives.’
Bangalore: Is there any way out to scan a tree to know the entire details about a tree? Kumar Kalyandurg of Green Circle says, ‘Yes! We could capture all data in QR code form and affix it to a tree, as a plate.’ About a year back, Green Circle Bangalore contemplated this project to geotag the trees and approached BMS Institute of Technology & Management, Yelahanka, Bangalore, to use the green technologies to conserve trees. Prof Sridevi of the MCA Dept agreed to the proposal and identified two MCA students for this purpose. BMS IT into a Memorandum of Understanding between Green Circle. As a pilot project, Green Circle chose People’s Trust campus where there are 1000 plus trees belonging to 100 plus varieties. The project was curated by Venu and Sunny, MCA students, who relied on AI data for identifying the trees. They developed the software page, which was incorporated in Green Circle Website. Dr Sanjay HA, Principal of BMS Institute of Technology & Management, inaugurated the first geo-tagging of the project by BMS Rotaract club on 11th Oct 2025. Geotagging of trees was done in several rounds. Volunteers from Green Circle, BMS Rotaractors, NSS from Presidency University, Sai Shankar Vidyashala, and People’s Trust Sri Sathya Sai Shankar Vidyaniketan Boarding Children participated in the tagging. About 1000 trees were geotagged. The valedictory program was organized at People’s trust Auditorium on 15.3.2026. About 150 volunteers participated in the program and were issued the certificates for their service. The Curators of the project Venu and Sunny were honoured with shields. Prof Sridevi Head of the MCA Dept was felicitated for the support from her department. Prof Venkatesh was also felicitated. Prof Tejaswini, in charge of volunteers from BMS, Ganga HM of SSV School, Bobji and Seethamma, Pranjal, Presidency NSS Coordinator, Chalapathi of People’s Trust, Harshita from TREP, and Vasant Kumar, Kumar Kalyandurg and Karthik from GC were felicitated. An 8-foot by 5-foot collage titled “Birds of People’s Trust”, was formally unveiled by Bobji and Harish Uthaiah. This board showcases the beauty and diversity of avian life in the premises, as the photos were clicked by Karthik and Selva. Bobji made a PowerPoint presentation on Conscious Conservation in action. Selvarajan, Chairman, Green Circle, welcomed the audience. Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee, People’s Trust, proposed the vote of thanks.Bangalore: Is there any way out to scan a tree to know the entire details about a tree? Kumar Kalyandurg of Green Circle says, ‘Yes! We could capture all data in QR code form and affix it to a tree, as a plate.’ About a year back, Green Circle Bangalore contemplated this project to geotag the trees and approached BMS Institute of Technology & Management, Yelahanka, Bangalore, to use the green technologies to conserve trees. Prof Sridevi of the MCA Dept agreed to the proposal and identified two MCA students for this purpose. BMS IT into a Memorandum of Understanding between Green Circle. As a pilot project, Green Circle chose People’s Trust campus where there are 1000 plus trees belonging to 100 plus varieties. The project was curated by Venu and Sunny, MCA students, who relied on AI data for identifying the trees. They developed the software page, which was incorporated in Green Circle Website. Dr Sanjay HA, Principal of BMS Institute of Technology & Management, inaugurated the first geo-tagging of the project by BMS Rotaract club on 11th Oct 2025. Geotagging of trees was done in several rounds. Volunteers from Green Circle, BMS Rotaractors, NSS from Presidency University, Sai Shankar Vidyashala, and People’s Trust Sri Sathya Sai Shankar Vidyaniketan Boarding Children participated in the tagging. About 1000 trees were geotagged. The valedictory program was organized at People’s trust Auditorium on 15.3.2026. About 150 volunteers participated in the program and were issued the certificates for their service. The Curators of the project Venu and Sunny were honoured with shields. Prof Sridevi Head of the MCA Dept was felicitated for the support from her department. Prof Venkatesh was also felicitated. Prof Tejaswini, in charge of volunteers from BMS, Ganga HM of SSV School, Bobji and Seethamma, Pranjal, Presidency NSS Coordinator, Chalapathi of People’s Trust, Harshita from TREP, and Vasant Kumar, Kumar Kalyandurg and Karthik from GC were felicitated. An 8-foot by 5-foot collage titled “Birds of People’s Trust”, was formally unveiled by Bobji and Harish Uthaiah. This board showcases the beauty and diversity of avian life in the premises, as the photos were clicked by Karthik and Selva. Bobji made a PowerPoint presentation on Conscious Conservation in action. Selvarajan, Chairman, Green Circle, welcomed the audience. Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee, People’s Trust, proposed the vote of thanks.
‘It is a great moment for all our work,’ says an emotional Dr V Selvarajan, founder of Green Circle. He adds, ‘In fact, I never even thought that it would be possible. When Green Circle was formed 25 years ago, in Delhi, it was a modest beginning. I had not even Rs 1000 to get it registered’. Green Circle has celebrated its Silver Jubilee at Dwarka New Delhi on 1.11.2025. Within 6 months, a land was allotted by Singanayakkanahalli Gram Panjayat office, which was earmarked for charitable organisations. MLA SR Viswanath was in all praise for Green Circle activities for protecting environment. He recommended to the PDO for allotment of land for its office. Nanje Gowda, a member of the Gram Panchayat and patron of Green Circle, pursued the matter and obtained the documents to the effect. The Panchayat office also requested Green Circle to develop a green patch around its office. Green Circle on 14.3.2026 arranged a Bhoomi Puja in the allotted land. For this purpose, the land was levelled using a JCB and garbage was removed. GC Members Selvarajan, Ramachandra, Kiran Taula, Kumar Kalyandurg, Vasanth Kumar, Vidyasagar Arya, and other members, were present. Harish Uthaiah, Managing Trustee, People’s Trust, was a special invitee for the occasion. Nanje Gowda started the Puja. Others Prof Ramappa, Prof Venkatesh, Kantharaj, Virabatrappa, Santosh were present. Puja was conducted by CRPF temple Pandit. Kiran Taula said, ‘it is a milestone in the history of Green Circle’ Vasanth Kumar added, ‘This is only a beginning, we will soon construct an ecofriendly office. The office will be surrounded by herbal garden. We are planning to make this location a green area’. The place was named as ‘Green Circle Vatika’.
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.
GREEN CIRCLE 
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