Achari Kunta Lake Rejuvenation Project
Introduction
Achari Kunta Cheruvu is a manmade lake situated near Venkatraya Nagar in Nizampet Village of Bachupally Mandal, Medchal District of Telangana State, and India. This lake is surrounded by under-construction buildings from all sides. There is also a private school near the lake. Achari Kunta Chevuru is circular in shape with dense vegetation in and around it. The lake is surrounded by few big and old trees. The expanse of the lake is approx. 1.5 acre however it has been encroached from all sides and now shrunken to 0.9 acres.
Globally, lake biodiversity is facing an agave threat today. Despite their significance, in the past few decades, the degradation of lakes is at its peak, owing primarily to rapid urbanization and other anthropogenic pressure in their catchment areas. The same situation is with Achari Kunta lake. Therefore, a rehabilitation project has been launched. Lake rehabilitation is basically the conservation of project by making the habitat healthy by natural/artificial interventions.
In Collaboration with the Ladybird Environmental Consultancy, we kick-started our new project in Hyderabad. The success of Nizampet Lake helped us bag this project. It was primarily the initiative taken by the local community who approached us to save their lake and we sourced the support for the same. The team that managed Nizampet Lake is back again to create the same magic.
This project is funded by DCB Bank. The works have all started from April 2020
Project Overview
Project Location: Hyderabad, Medchal District, Telangana
Project Duration: April 2020- October 2021
Knowledgeable Partner: Ladybird Environmental Consultancy LLP
Funding Agency: DCB Bank
Project Outcomes:
- Increase in the green cover
- Increase in the local biodiversity
- Improvement in the water and soil quality.
- Increase in awareness about the lake among the citizens.
- Fulfilment of Biodiversity Aichi Target no. 1, 5, 14
Project Interventions
Appointment of Local Team
Lake Rejuvenation Activities
Appointment of Local Team
Appointment of Project Officer, Security Guard, Local Warden and Care Takers for Managing and Initiating the Achari Kunta Lake Rehabilitation Project.
Baseline Surveys
Lake Rejuvenation Activities
Appointment of Local Team
- Baseline Survey
- Lake Perception Surveys
- Biodiversity surveys
- Soil and water analysis
Lake Rejuvenation Activities
Lake Rejuvenation Activities
Nature Walks and Signages Development
- Bund Development
- Pathway Development
- Strengthing Bund
- Lake Edges Excavation
- Fence Development
- Waste Management
- Nursery and Cabin Installation
Nature Walks and Signages Development
Stakeholder Engagement and Lake Management
Nature Walks and Signages Development
- 25 bilingual signages on local birds and trees.
- 125 plant signages for butterfly-attracting plants
- Conducting monthly lake safaris.
- Conducting monthly Birdwatch program.
Biodiversity Plantation
Stakeholder Engagement and Lake Management
Stakeholder Engagement and Lake Management
- Ground preparation
- Plantation of 5000 bird, butterfly, bat and bee attracting plants ( herbs, shrubs, trees)
- Installation of drip irrigation system
Stakeholder Engagement and Lake Management
Stakeholder Engagement and Lake Management
Stakeholder Engagement and Lake Management
- Formed WhatsApp and Facebook group of local communities
- Community Engagement Activity and Lake Clean up
- Lake Management Activities
- Establishing a project office inside the Lake.
Project Updates
May - July 2020
August - October 2020
August - October 2020
The Achari Kunta Lake Rejuvenation Project was about to start in May 2020, due to pandemic and delay in permissions from the administrative the project was halted. In the span of time on 16 June 2020, a biodiversity survey was conducted by Mr Gopal Bharti. The recorded species from the survey are as follows: 2 species of butterfly, 4 species of trees and 30 wildflowers. The recorded species will be further used for signage development.
August - October 2020
August - October 2020
August - October 2020
This quarter was the most difficult time for the project as all the works carried out in the past 6 months got washed away in the cyclonic rains. Plantation activities, a good deal of civil works, and community activities, that were initiated all came back to the square to one. Hence there was a need to restart the project once all hurdles are resolved. In the meantime, a biodiversity survey was conducted on 22 Sep 2020 to study the existing flora and fauna around the lake. 12 species of insects, 7 species of birds, 3 species of reptiles and 1 mammal were recorded.
November - March 2021
August - October 2020
November - March 2021
In the span of ten months, a substantial time was lost owing to Pandemic, Permissions and Cyclonic Rains. This delayed our main activity of plantation. Works were suspended in September 2020 as municipal corporation was carrying out various repair works at the lake. During the period of inactivity, a biodiversity survey, regular lake and peripheral clean-up activity were conducted. The nursery was established and raised over 1093 saplings. During the time the local municipal corporation repaired the drain line, laid new lines, increased bund height and initiated boundary fencing work. Further activities were resumed in the last week of March 2021 by initiating the pathway development work. A biodiversity survey conducted by V. Shubhalaxmi recorded about 4 species of insects, 19 species of bird and 1 arachnid.
April - July 2021
August - Sept 2021
November - March 2021
The project was scheduled to commence in April 2020 and conclude by Sep 2021. However due to various factors, the project activities were impacted (ex:COVID-19 Pandemic), causing a delay in further implementation works. The government works initiated priorly were completed, so with legal permission and access to the site the project plan was restarted. The civil jobs began with pathway development and ground preparation works. This was followed with plantation works. We completed plantation of 5000 saplings with help of labourers, DCB employees and community volunteers. Altogether around 133 volunteers joined in a clean-up drive and plantation activities. We planted 210 trees, 2105 shrubs and 2685 herbs. We also installed drip irrigation system for irrigation purpose. In the previous records 26 species of birds and 19 species of butterflies were recorded but, with our Lake rejuvenation activities it now increased to 43 species of Birds, 30 species of Butterflies, 5 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians and 1 Mammal were recorded. A project video is being developed through professional videographer.
August - Sept 2021
August - Sept 2021
August - Sept 2021
The project was scheduled to commence in April 2020 and conclude by Sep 2021. However, due to various factors, the project activities were impacted, causing a delay in further implementation works.
We completed the plantation of 5000 saplings with help of laborers, DCB employees, and community volunteers. Altogether around 133 volunteers joined in a clean-up drive and plantation activities. We planted 210 trees, 2105 shrubs, and 2685 herbs. A total of 5000 species of plants were planted. Plantation works have been completed at the project site with the installation of a drip irrigation system. In the previous records, 26 species of birds and 19 species of butterflies were recorded. To assess the diversity, we conducted a biodiversity survey which revealed that the lake comprises about a total of 43 species of birds, 30 species of Butterflies, recorded so far at Achari Kunta Lake. As the rejuvenating activities were initiated, more 16 species of birds, 23 species of Insects with an addition of 5 Reptiles, 2 Amphibians, and 1 Mammal were recorded, indicated it as the formation of a healthy ecosystem.