Sunday 15 July 2012

Nagarakere: Citizens show the way


Nagarakere tank, in the water scarce Doddaballapur town near Bangalore inspired a silent revolution two years ago. This 500-year-old tank was completely choked with weeds. Without waiting for the government to step in, the citizens took up the task of cleaning the entire 180-acre tank of water hyacinth and other wastes. Even NGOs, school and college students pitched in, and in six months, 50 per cent of the tank was freed from the weeds.

“We realised that depending on the government for everything is not a wise thing to do. Whenever the water level has been low in the tank, the groundwater table has gone low. Considering that the entire town depends on groundwater for all their requirements, saving the tank becomes extremely crucial,” says Parisara Prajna Kendra Co-ordinator D R Nataraj who was one of those who pioneered the movement. “Lately, there are reports that the tank would be made into a bus stand. We strongly oppose it as the tank is the lifeline of the town,” he adds.

This article appeared in Deccan Herald on 27th July, 2004.

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