The kick-off for Mera Terah Run 2017 started at Jakkur
lake this Sunday with a 13-km run along six neighbouring lakes.
The Mera Terah Run (MTR), slated for December is a huge all
India event to create awareness to help save lakes.
This run was co-hosted by Jala Poshan which looks after
the sprawling Jakkur lake.
Runners and enthusiasts were ready along with local
residents early in the morning for the fun run to raise awareness.
Incidentally, due to the record October rain and the showers in the preceding month
has left most of the six lakes on the route which included Jakkur, Rachenahalli, Venkateshpura, Chokkanahalli, Tirumenahalli and Agrahara
lakes filled to the brim.
“At each lake information
was put out on the Whatsapp group about the lake. At every lake, citizens’
groups received the runners and encouraged them as well as shared information
about their respective lakes,” Dr Annapurna S. Kamath, from Jala Poshan said.
More than 100 runners participated
in the MTR 2017 kick-off. Two horseback riders, a few cyclists and bikers were
also part of the event.
The event started and ended at the Jakkur lake.
On the occasion, a few Sampige saplings were planted on the Sampigehalli side
of the lake and local residents sang a few meaningful songs on environment.
MTR 2017 is an awareness movement. While there is water everywhere, it is
time to stop and think as Urban India has experienced a spectacular oscillation
between drought and flood. As the Mera Terah Run Collective enters its fourth year,
we had picked the cause to support it this year as part of our effort at
rejuvenating urban water bodies, Dr Annapurna told North Bangalorepost.
The six lakes were chosen carefully as each of them are in different sizes
and shapes; have different ingress and egress mechanisms; have varying levels
of public engagement and have different levels of development. But, all of them
have a unique eco-system around them.
Runners and those who walked along discovered a little history of each
lake, local legends attached to them and songs about the environment sung by
residents abutting the water bodies.
MTR 2017’ focus can be gauged by this little rhyme:
Water Water Everywhere. The car floats (it does not sink).
Enough with this desperate rhyme. I cannot bear the stink.
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