Bengaluru: A once-neglected pond inside the CRPF campus in Yelahanka, North Bengaluru, has been transformed into a thriving three-acre lake through a community-driven sustainability effort, highlighting how collective action can revive degraded urban ecosystems.The three-month effort, led by the BlueDot Foundation in collaboration with Tekion and other partners, focused on restoring ecological balance rather than merely beautifying the waterbody and its adjoining landscape. What was previously choked with sludge, silt, and invasive algae has now been revived into a living water body designed to support biodiversity and long-term environmental health.Centred on scientific and sustainable practices, the revival aimed to restore the lake to its original condition. Extensive desilting helped recover the lake’s natural depth and water-holding capacity, while improvements to the catchment area ensured better rainwater harvesting. Native plant species were carefully selected and introduced to rebuild habitats for birds, insects, and other fauna, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem.“This effort shows how degraded water bodies can be brought back to life with the right ecological approach and community participation,” said Harsha Tej, founder and director of BlueDot, emphasising the importance of using native flora to maintain ecological balance.The initiative also brought together volunteers and stakeholders through a plantation drive, reinforcing the role of community engagement in environmental stewardship. Tekion, which supported the project as part of its CSR efforts, reiterated its commitment to restoring one lake every year, contributing to a growing network of revived water bodies across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.CRPF officials noted that such collaborative efforts are vital in rapidly urbanising regions, where lakes and wetlands are increasingly under threat. “With the monsoon approaching, the rejuvenated lake now stands ready to harvest rainwater, recharge groundwater, and serve as a green refuge within the CRPF premises, demonstrating how community-led sustainability can turn ecological decline into renewal,” a CRPF officer said.
