Those of you who are interested in the lakes of Bangalore will possibly recall my articles on the Environment page of Deccan Herald in August, September and October last year. There was an outcry against the Lake Development Authority for clearing the project by Oberoi Hotels, which included a floating restaurant in the middle of the lake. Birders were aghast at the ecological insensitivity manifested not only by the Oberois, but even more so by the LDA (the Authority for protecting our wetlands). Fortunately Ms Ketaki Narain, Oberoi's director, Corporate Communications in-charge of the project, recognised the mistake in good time. At my first meeting with her, she readily agreed to abandon the proposal for the floating restaurant and subsequently hosted several meetings with birders, whose views were welcomed and will be implemented within the parameters of the complex.

For example, all the stone revetments on the embankment were undone so that the mud bank might hopefully invite hole nesting avians, kingfishers in particular. Also, the mud embankment is being sloped in such a manner as to leave a squelch and shallow water for short-legged plovers.

The intention to have a high wall around the periphery for security reasons was given up, as this would deny the residents outside a view of the lovely water spread. Now there will only be a chain-link fence, so that the view is unimpeded. And the two ugly high-tension towers on the border will be eliminated and underground cables laid. The cost of this to the Oberois will be over Rs 10 crore. Could the Forest Department afford this?

At one meeting, we also invited C Jayaram (IFS), conservator of forests, who has a fine record for the restoration of several degraded lakes. Agara, Lalbagh, Narasipur, Benaganahalli, Devarakere and others. But the protests continued and at one stage there were headlines in the local press accusing the Oberois of violating everything under the Sun, including Zonal Regulations, Wildlife Act and Water Act. Many conservationists too were against business houses dabbling in conservation. Land-use was the business of Government and even the letter written by Oberoi’s chairman, confirming that they were not interested in making money from Hebbal but in creating a truly natural sanctuary for humans and birds alike, did not quench their ire. I checked with Dr H C Sharatchandra, chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (also a Member of LDA) about the position today (3/03/08) and he confirmed that he was happy with the operations in Hebbal, both legally and ecologically.

The main reason why I had involved myself in the Hebbal imbroglio was because the Forest Department had itself admitted before the A T Ramaswamy Panel on Land Encroachment that 2,139 acres of forest land had been encroached upon by the land mafia. Shortage of staff and funds, they said, was the cause of this deplorable erosion. On the other hand, Oberoi had the funds and management muscle. Why not leave it to them?

There are, at the moment, 60 tanks in and around Bangalore in various stages of decay which can be, in the words of Prakash Gole, "Rehabilitated, Remediated, Reclaimed, Replaced or Replenished". Restoring them to their pristine condition, as demanded by some die-hard ecologists, is an impractical dream in the light of thoughtless urbanisation around them. So let us go ahead with the task with the aid of whoever is willing to lend a hand. We have procrastinated for too long.

At 8 am on 29th February I was at Hebbal, along with T N Perumal, to find out how things were going. It was reassuring to see the notice at the entrance allowing visitors to enter the area between 5.30 am and 8.30 am for jogging or whatever, without charge. From 8.30 to 6.30 pm, the visitor fee is Rs 10. The well tended lawns have apparently become a roosting ground for egrets during the night and many were still around. Cattle with yellow bills, Little with their tell-tale yellow feet, and Median all black and white with no sign of yellow on them. In the midst of this lovely placid-white scene on a green background, a black drongo on the hunt was an added joy.

But the view on the water, the main element of Hebbal Lake, was quite spectacular; the lake was full of waterfowl, most floating serenely and it was the vigorous take-off and graceful landing of the flocks which was very exciting. I thought the male Shovellers (Anas clypeata), green, white and chestnut, were in particularly good plumage and this was highlighted by their drab consorts alongside. The male Garganeys (Anas querquedula), with their prominent white eye-stripe on brown heads, looked very smart. There was a large flock of Whistling Teal (Dendrocygma javanica) which kept to themselves far away from the visiting migrants. It was interesting and also surprising to see the wealth of birds on the hyacinth carpet bordering the embankment - innumerable pond herons and egrets in varying plumage, common swallow very active in chasing insects I presume, a single purple moorhen with a group of black-winged stilts. Is it a good policy, I wonder, to leave a patch of water hyacinth under controlled conditions, for the insects they harbour, and for the roosting surface they provide.

I read recently about marsh harriers roosting on water hyacinths and this is a species very common around the wetlands of Bangalore.

At the other end of the lake, bordering the military farm, there is plenty of rocky open ground and here Perumal got a chance he was hoping for - a purple heron (Ardea purpurea) displaying its full height stood still for a second, and you see the result. But the next instant, noticing our interest, it sank down to avoid detection.

In the same area there was a solitary large pied wagtail but disappointing to see no migrant wagtails at all. From the well-treed adjoining army grounds, Cuckals, Magpie Robins and Bulbuls announce their presence. What a pity that this army farm is being converted into something else, and I hope the requirements of birds will not be totally disregarded.

It is difficult to pinpoint what is the most attractive image one carried back in one's mind after a morning's bird walk. On this morning, I think it was the sight of the 30-plus Wire-tailed Swallows drying themselves on the branches of an overhanging bamboo clump after their morning's bath, steel-blue backs, snow-white breasts, a scene too charming for words.