Royal Challengers Bengaluru restores 3 lakes in water-stressed city
New Delhi, April 19: Professional franchise cricket team Royal Challengers Bengaluru has restored three lakes in Bengaluru, a city grappling with a severe water crisis.
RCB launched the Lake Improvement Works Project in October 2023 as part of the "RCB Go Green Initiative". The project focused on desilting and developing the Ittgalpura and Sadenahalli lakes, located in highly water-stressed areas.
These areas lack access to Kaveri River water and rely entirely on groundwater and surface water with borewell depths ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 feet.
According to a statement, more than 1,20,000 tons of silt and sand have been removed from the two lakes and nine acres of lake land have been recovered, leading to the creation of stabilisation ponds and wetlands that benefit the local bird and animal populations.
The water holding capacity of the lakes has also increased to cover up to 17 acres, it said, adding that the lakes will not only facilitate groundwater recharge but also support agricultural activities in the surrounding areas.
They will provide additional livelihood opportunities for the fishermen and farmers of the two lakes, who can now harvest up to three times more than before, it said.
Meanwhile, at Kannur Lake, the objective has been to improve community ownership through the creation of civic amenities as lake assets.
Ethno-medicinal plant parks, bamboo parks, and butterfly parks are also being created at all three lakes as part of the initiative to improve and sustain biodiversity.
"These lakes not only serve as critical groundwater sources for neighbouring villages but also form the backbone of local livelihoods," said Rajesh Menon, VP and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Experts say Bengaluru is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and its infrastructure for fresh water supply is struggling to keep up with the growing population.
Over a third of the city's 13 million residents rely on groundwater, which is rapidly depleting.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
