Photographer & Conservationist Mahesh Bhat talks to host Pavan Srinath about the long struggle to rejuvenate and conserve the Hesaraghatta ecosystem at the edge of Bengaluru.

The Hesaraghatta region to the Northwest of the growing city of Bengaluru and west of Yelahanka, has a history going back to a millenium. In modern times, the Hesaraghatta lake or reservoir became the first source of piped water to Bengaluru in 1890s. But since then, Hesaraghatta and the Arkavathy catchment have fallen victim to neglect, poor maintenance, and unplanned urban growth.

Mahesh Bhat is a photographer and filmmaker with over 30 years of experience, and currently teaches at the Srishti Manipal Institute of Art, Design and Technology. A resident of Hesaraghatta, he has worked with many others to safeguard Hesaraghatta's rich grasslands and rejuvenate the lake over the last 15 years. The Arkavathy & Kumudvathi River Rejuvenation Trust that he is a part of, has tirelessly fought to create a Greater Hesaraghatta Conservation Zone, whose fate continues to remain unknown even in February 2021.

To read more about the conservation and rejuvenation efforts at Hesaraghatta, visit tiny.cc/harate87 for more links.

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