Bengaluru’s professional cricket team Royal Challengers has restored three lakes in Bengaluru, a city grappling with a severe water crisis. As part of the “RCB Green Initiative”, RCB launched the lake improvement project in October 2023. The project focuses on desilting and developing the Ittgalpura and Sadenahalli lakes, which are located in highly water-stressed areas. These areas have no access to Kaveri river water and are completely dependent on groundwater and surface water, with boreholes being drilled to a depth of 1,000 to 1,500 feet. More than 120,000 tons of silt and sand have been removed from the two lakes, and nine acres of lake land have been restored, creating stable ponds and wetlands that benefit local bird and animal populations, according to a statement.

The water storage capacity of the lakes has also been increased to 17 acres, adding that the lakes will not only facilitate groundwater recharge but also support agricultural activities in the surrounding areas.

They will provide additional livelihood opportunities for fishermen and farmers in both lakes, who can now harvest three times more than before, the report said.

Kannur Lake, meanwhile, aims to increase community ownership by creating municipal facilities as lake assets.

As part of initiatives to improve and maintain biodiversity, ethnomedicinal plant parks, bamboo parks and butterfly parks have also been established in the three lakes.

“These lakes are not only an important source of groundwater for neighboring villages but also the backbone of local livelihoods,” said Rajesh Menon, vice-president and head of Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Experts say Bengaluru is one of the world’s fastest-growing cities and its freshwater supply infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with population growth.

More than a third of the city’s 13 million residents rely on groundwater, which is rapidly depleting.