BTC Go Green Sapling Plantation at Jakkur Lake
BTC had a Go green event this Sunday 13th were
this time volunteers were required to plant trees around Jakkur lake area. The day started early for volunteers who
showed up at the assigned meeting point Swarthi Gardenia where most of us had a
good breakfast to store energy for doing the tree planting activity. Jakkur
Lake turned out to be a beautiful place, the lake had a pretty long stretch,
nice greenery was on the lands surrounding it, plus the best part was that it
had birds swimming on it. The sight of this BDA restored lake was a joy, in a time
when we feel sad about the fact that most lakes of Bengaluru city’s have gone
dry or got polluted so much so that no ecosystem can exist around it, meaning
no more birds, plants and no clean lake to compliment the surroundings.
We were soon told that residents of the area have adopted
the lake from BDA, and are maintaining it with care. The residents are
encouraging others to join them in planting trees and that day 92 saplings were
kept for the volunteers of BTC to plant. Kamalesh organizer of the Go Green
events this year was told to brief us volunteers on how to plant saplings and
later we were given a demo on planting saplings. We were advised to plant
saplings properly, without hurry so that there would be no need for re-work to
be done on the saplings we plant. The sapling planting procedure would be
familiar to the volunteers who participated in other Go Green initiatives, but
it happens that in each event there are new people who come to plant trees for
the first time so briefing and demo was useful.
The procedure involved a few steps – cutting the plastic bag
on which the sapling was planted carefully, and then holding together the soil
of the sapling down so that the clay does not break and fall apart. Then
placing the sapling on the pit, knotting the sapling loosely to the support
stick with the plastic thread in a 8 shape.
After this soil bed should be made leveling the pit to
ground level with sand and sprinkling 2 handfuls of mature. Then make the soil
bed firm by stamping on the soil to hold the plant firmly.
We started with the task. Jakkur lake was scenic with
various birds, some on trees on the other side of the lake, some swimming
birds, birds both white and black, there were eagles too flying beautifully.
The lake is a model that shows us that lakes can be revived back, so people
from other States like Gujarat come to study the lake. Now the bird population
at the Jakkur Lake has come down compared to the good old times, yet it is
expected that many other birds would come once the fish population in water
increases. Still, it was lovely to see such a huge lake water body with lovely
birds that day.
Volunteers were busy doing some hard work, in many places
the soil was hard and rocky since it was dry, so it was hard breaking the
ground for soil to put in to fill the sapling pit, however we did it with
enthusiasm. Then we walked around the stretch of lake searching for pits for
planting more saplings and at the end we all walked the entire 4.6 km of the
lake stretch and planted saplings till the end point. There were no saplings
left all the saplings put for BTC to plant was placed.
So, it was a good walk, exercise with tree planting, we got
abundant opportunities to admire the lake whose expanse was stretching and
blissfully enjoy the trees, the birds and feel the cool wind that caressed us.
All this was enough to fill us with zeal to plant more and more saplings. We
got thirsty too with all the hard work and when we sipped water, it was tasty
more than how it generally is. It was fun, exploring the lake surroundings, and
being involved in greening the surroundings that thoroughly refreshed us with a
greener, cleaner and richer environment.
After we reached the end of the long lake trail of 4.6 km,
we were dropped back to the Jakkur lake gate area, thanks to an active resident
who leads the association that maintains and develops the lake. She had been
around earlier giving us biscuits to eat for energy as we were walking and
planting. Some of the volunteers rode in the Gypsy driven by the nice lady
mentioned above and the rest came by tempo, and they were very thrilled coming
by tempo.
After we reached the Jakkur Lake gate point, we were given
guyavas, which tasted juicier and yummier than usual and we washed hands and
had precious fillings of water that tasted delicious to the thirsty forks.
Overall, a handful yet enough people turned up considering many BTC folks could
not come as they were part of Huntidurga Trek and a BTC biking trip that was
taking place the same day, not to mention it is festival time and many people
would be busy preparing for upcoming festivities or going to their home towns
for the festivities.
BTC does Go Green events joining hands with “Say Trees”, my
last green plantation drive was at Jarakbande Reserved Forest, which was also
fun for a nature enthusiast like me for
whom the sight and feel of trees gives peace and pure joy and a bit of physical
work with others is a good way to spend time outdoors, it’s a positive move towards
a positive lifestyle.
Thanks to the Organizer Kamalesh, besides organizing the
event, he ensured the volunteers who registered could come conveniently by
pooling them with volunteers who had transport to pick them and drop them at
convenient points to and from Jakkur lake. Also huge thanks to the volunteer
who accommodated me and others taking us to event and dropping us to the
convenient place back.
Written By : Prreeya Narayanan
Organized By : Kamalesh RS
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