As part of its CSR commitment, Allergan, an AbbVie company, in partnership with Green Yatra Trust and Anand Malligawad, has taken on the task of rejuvenating the 28.1-acre Bingipura Lake to ensure that its water can be used for multiple purposes throughout the year.
This project was inaugurated on August 11th, 2021, in the presence of M. Krishnappa, MLA Bengaluru South, J Manjunath, District Collector, Bangalore, Dy. SP Mallesh, Tahasildar; Dinesh, Gram Panchayat Chairman and Sadik Pasha & Members Jayakarnatak Janapara vedike & I care brigade Team and Bingipura villagers.
This ongoing project involves the decontamination of the lake water, its desilting and the cleaning up of the streams that flow into the lake to provide water. This will ensure that more efficient rain harvesting can be done. Moreover, the desilted mud was used to build and strengthen bunds around the lake to make it more pleasurable for people to enjoy walking around it and to discourage encroachment. The lake will now be a safe and suitable place for children and pets because of its shallow level, without disrupting the regular community routines.
Suresh Pattathil, Managing Director & General Manager, Allergan, an AbbVie company said “At Allergan, we are committed to sustainability and the protection of the environment. We are pleased to partner with Green Yatra Trust to support the Bingipura lake rejuvenation initiative. We would like our CSR efforts to benefit the communities in which we live and work and promote sustainability and resource conservation.”
Benefiting 5500 people
The lake can hold 4.5 to 4.75 lakh cubic meters of water. After its rejuvenation, it will recharge about 200 to 300 bore wells within a radius of 4 to 5 km around the lake. This would benefit more than 5500 people in four villages and provide them with better quality drinking water. The excess sewage-treated water that would flow out of the lake, will support 50 to 75 acres of land for agriculture use.
Most interestingly, the Bingipura Lake was revived ecologically using sustainable techniques and an advanced natural sewage treatment system. No stone pitching, concrete, steel, or any modern material has been used. The process did not involve the use of electricity, chemicals, or equipment that may require frequent maintenance, which will help reduce the carbon footprint of the project even further. This effort will also help revive the entire ecosystem of the lake and sustain the native flora and fauna.
Commenting on the project, Anand Malligawad, Lake Conservationist and Project-in-charge, said, “Conservation projects require passion, interest and commitment from several stakeholders. We have a great responsibility towards nature, not just for ourselves but for the generations that will follow us. This is my tenth lake, which was rejuvenated in a remarkable 72 working days. I am pleased that we have brought together Allergan, an AbbVie company and the Green Yatra to be our partners in this project. I am thankful to Hulimangala Village and its residents, who supported me in my efforts.”
“We started rejuvenating the Bingipura Lake on the occasion of Earthday, 22 April 2021 to achieve our commitment to ‘RestoretheEarth’. It was not an easy journey, and we faced many on-ground challenges”, said Pradeep Tripathi, Founder of Green Yatra. “The natural methodologies such as the creation of multiple ponds and usage of different types of plants and floating islands will treat the sewage and polluted water before it enters the lake. Now, this lake is a self-cleaning and self-sustainable lake.”
After the rejuvenation, there will be no mixing of rainwater and sewage. The evaporation and percolation will be balanced in such a way that during the rainy season it will be full, during winter it will be at 70% capacity, and in summer, the water level will be at 50%, to maintain a proper water cycle. In addition, the native flora and fauna has been restored to support the local biodiversity, by the planting of 1000s of different types of saplings to provide shelter and food to birds and small animals
The Bingipura Lake
Located in Electronic City, Bingipura lake is a 28.2-acre water body in Bangalore. The lake previously was treated as a BBMP dump yard, had human encroachment and was used for sewage disposal. Due to which the lake was contaminated and the water capacity had reduced. The water channels were also blocked, resulting in the death of the natural flora and fauna and the spread of diseases such as dengue, malaria and viral fever to the surrounding areas and villages.
The Allergan, an AbbVie Company (Eye Care)
As a leader in eye care, Allergan has discovered, developed, and delivered some of the most innovative products in the industry for more than 70 years. Allergan has launched over 125 eye care products and invested billions of dollars in new treatments for the most prevalent eye conditions including glaucoma, ocular surface disease, and retinal diseases such as diabetic macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.
