Kriti Social Initiatives along with two other NGO’s – Udayan Care and Ananda Foundation has begun a year long clean up drive of a lake – Shaikpet Kotha Cheruvu.

Problem:

The area around the lake has slums as well as gated communities. Around 3 years back, GHMC built a wall around the lake covering almost the entire section of the lake. This helped stop the encroachment and created an enclosure around the lake.

The lake water is heavily polluted and is getting inflows from sewage and other effluents from a nala nearby. There is also the problem of trash, both inside and outside the lake. In addition, GHMC is using one of the sections surrounding the lake as a transitory dumping ground. This causes several trucks to dump large mounds of trash daily and the same being picked up bi-weekly to clear up this dumping.

Plan:

The one-year program has as its first goal to clear the surrounding of the lake and create a walkway and an area that is debris free. The planned steps are as follows:

1. Removal of Debris inside and outside the Lake- with help from Volunteers, GHMC and Police Department
2. Survey of nearby residents to understand trash disposal status and ascertain attitude of residents
3. Involve nearby private and government schools for creating awareness and have rallies by kids in the area
4. Planting of trees and foliage around the lake to help increase greenery and balance nutrients
5. Creating awareness and Educating nearby residents on the impact of waste on the lake
6. Create awareness and reduce use of plastic
7. Create and distribute newspaper bags to all shops in the neighbourhood
8. Long term plan includes improving lake water quality, plan to reduce effluents, create a composting area etc

Implementation:

Every Sunday morning, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, a team of volunteers is working on the lake clean up activities. The meet up point for this activity is opposite Aparna Senor Valley Villas, below Ramanaidu Studios on Road no 79 Film Nagar.