PM Modi praises Bengaluru techie Kapil Sharma for his campaign to save lakes

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the work of IT engineer Kapil Sharma from Bengaluru for his campaign to save lakes.

"Engineer Kapil Sharma ji has done something remarkable in Bengaluru. Bengaluru is called the city of lakes, and Kapil ji has started a campaign to give a new life to the lakes here. Kapil ji's team has rejuvenated 40 wells and 6 lakes in Bengaluru and surrounding areas. The special thing is that he has also involved corporates and local people in his mission," the PM said addressing the 127th episode of his radio programme 'Mann Ki Baat'.

Sharma's organisation is also associated with tree plantation campaigns, the PM said.

Sharma founded ‘SayTrees’ in 2007 - a non-profit organisation dedicated to creating urban and rural forests, planting trees and rejuvenating lakes with support from corporations and the community.

The NGO claimed that it has planted more than 5 million trees, restore 50 lakes in different parts of the country including Bengaluru and surrounding areas.

The PM also appreciated a unique programme by Ambikapur Municipal Corporation in Chhattisgarh, to clean up plastic waste from the city.

The corporation runs garbage cafes in Ambikapur, where you get a full meal in exchange for plastic waste. If someone brings over one kilogram of plastic, they are provided with either lunch or dinner, and in lieu of half a kilogram of plastic, they get breakfast.

“Bengaluru and Ambikapur stories inspiring examples show that when you are determined, change is bound to take place,” the PM said.