Bengalureans celebrate Kere Utsav for cleaner, plastic-free lakes

Residents of Southeast Bengaluru's HSR Layout celebrated ‘Kere Utsav’ at Agara Lake on Saturday.

The utsav commemorated the World Environment Day, observed on June 5, on the theme of ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.

Cleaning, planting of saplings and other activities were conducted to spread awareness among people to stop dumping plastic and other waste in the lake.

Competitions such as painting, essay writing, photography, sustainability workshops, tree walk and walkathon were organised for children.

The venture was jointly hosted by Kaagaz Foundation, Bangalore Political Action Committee (BPAC), in association with the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).

Kavitha Reddy, a Congress party worker who has also actively participated in reviving the lake, said: “The lake cleaning began about two years ago and the waterbody has come to life now. The objective of the event was to create awareness to keep the lake and our surroundings clean and to reduce the use of plastic.” She also said they distributed about 100 saplings.

Hoskote Lake

Meanwhile, people living in the outskirts of the city held a similar event called ‘Namma Hoskote Kere’ to clean Hoskote Lake, situated near the Tank Bund Gangamma Temple, where residents cleaned the lake and planted saplings. Nagabhushana, a participant, said, “People who come to visit the lake throw garbage and litter the place. Sometimes people also come here to drink alcohol in the nights and that is why there should be police patrolling near the lake.”