Hebbal Lake plogged

A cleanup drive on World Environment Day to the lake by Experts and Environmental NGOs

Early Sunday morning on World Environment Day, a group of 100 people were moving through grass, water hyacinth and wet earth to declutter Hebbal Lake of non-biodegradable waste.

They were a group of skateboarders, bikers, homemakers, college students, kids and several well-meaning citizens united to bag non-biodegradables from within the periphery of the lake.

The Hebbal lake is home to vast wildlife including different species of water birds and snakes, dragonflies, beetles and smaller insects, and ants besides colourful greenery.

The water body has been in the spotlight for the shoddy measures taken by BBMP and BWSSB to keep its waters sewage and waste-free.

The event was organised by the Bengaluru Chapter of  There is No Earth B, an environmental awareness and citizen-fuelled pan-India movement in partnership with Royal Enfield, HOLYSTOKED Skateboarding, The Indian Ploggers Army and Cognition (an environmental NGO).

In just an hour, almost 210 kgs of plastic was collected into recycled sacks which were later handed over to the BBMP.

The waste included plastic and alcohol bottles, tobacco pouches, cigarette packets, plastic caps, slippers, clothes, fishing nets, thermocol and small plastic wrappers.

Nagendra, founder of Cognition which is a non-profit working for environmental awareness feels it has to start with us. ” Whatever trash we generate is our responsibility. Even a simple chocolate wrapper is something we are paying money for. I think we have to be more responsible in our consumption which leads to responsible production. That is when the cycle gets balanced,” he said.

The is No Earth B is an Indian Organisation that mobilises citizens to call for effective measures to control and eradicate all forms of pollution and environmental abuse. It also calls all involved authorities to question.

While the Bengaluru Chapter has been active since 2019, organiser Dhrstadyumn said this was their largest event yet.  ‘We request the BBMP and the state government to ensure that Hebbal Lake remains clean,” he added.

For some of the volunteers it was their first time, but their enthusiasm and dedication showed in the many sacks that were returned, some with over 10 kg of waste.

The event organisers  provided food, t-shirts, mugs and stickers sponsored by Royal Enfield.

While our lakes and its inhabitants continue to choke on human waste, we hope more citizens join such novel initiatives to keep Bengaluru Clean and Green.

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Story by Maria Kuruvilla