KOLAR, 1 AUG

With a little bit of help and no government intervention, villagers turned a garbage pit into a kalyan in Mallappanahalli in Chittradurga. 

The idea of turning a place where villagers had been throwing garbage for years into a Yellamma and Madduramma temple came from a group of youth. Noting the stink and that water had been collecting and breeding mosquitoes, they approached Ramesh Krishnappa, Founder President of Vrushabadri Foundation, an NGO working in the field of environment, and sought his help. 

Krishnappa got in touch with the Rotary Club of Basavanagudi and made a blueprint to restore the area, consulting with field experts and local villagers. Vijayaraj, President of the Rotary Club, also joined the exercise. 

Villagers agreed that transforming the dump into a kalyan was a good idea and said that they would contribute to the project as well. Initially, it was estimated that the work would cost around 12 lakh rupees, but it ended up costing 20 lakh rupees.

Nearly 15 truckloads of waste were removed, followed by excavation to create a 55x45 ft pond, 40 ft deep, with steps for easy access. Although the rains slowed the progress, the work pushed on for nearly two and a half months.

Once the kalyan was constructed, fish were introduced into the pond, and flowers were planted along the steps of the temple.  A water treatment unit was also installed in the pond. 

Krishnappa said that CSR funds of Mahaveer Medicines Private Limited, and no government agency was involved.