The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Ooru-Neeru’ on Sunday

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Thursday, Jul 03, 2008
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‘Ooru-Neeru’ on Sunday

Staff Reporter

It starts at 9 a.m. from Cubbon Park

The walk will look at the reservoir and its present state
A siphon is another unique structure worth a closer look

BANGALORE: The Bangalore City Project (BCP) has announced a walk, “Ooru-Neeru”, the fourth in its series of Urban Space Events on Sunday, to Hessarghatta, 24 km away from Bangalore.

The walk starts at 9 a.m. from the Queen’s Statue, Cubbon Park. It will return to the same venue at 3 p.m.

Probably built in 1532 on the Arkavathy river, the Hessarghatta Reservoir was reconstructed in 1894 to become a major water supplier to the city of Bangalore.

Till the commissioning of the Thippagondanahalli reservoir in 1932-33, Hessarghatta remained the largest supplier of filtered water to the city.

The Hessarghatta reservoir last filled up in 1994 and has gradually been given up as a reliable source of water for the city.

Deterioration in catchment characteristics is probably the cause for the reservoir drying up.

The “Ooru-Neeru Water Walk” will look at the reservoir and its current state, a siphon provided as an overflow mechanism, another unique structure worth a closer look, remnants of a brick aqueduct and a small temple on the bund.

The Hessarghatta Urban Space Event is being organised for the Bangalore City Project by S. Vishwanath ( www.rainwaterclub.org and www.arghyam.org) who writes extensively on water issues.

The Bangalore City Project comprises a group of concerned citizens from different fields, including art, culture, urban planning and architecture, as well as various organisations such as the Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan and the Rainwater Club.

It aims to create awareness about art and culture in the city of Bangalore, by initiating discussions and programmes on a neutral platform — to publicise the importance of cultural infrastructure, as well as the history and importance of various places in the city that remain silent and veiled.

One of the objectives is to help create a unique identity for the city, a concept that will bear special significance for the future, as Bangalore grows in manifold directions and on manifold levels.

To participate in “Ooru-Neeru”, call Ph: 23644690 or send an e-mail to rainwaterclub@gmail.com. A bus will be organised to take participants to Hessarghatta from Queen’s Statue, Cubbon Park.

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