On 11 October 2026, residents, students, volunteers and civic officials gathered along the banks of Jakkur Lake in north Bengaluru for the 75th edition of #IamBengaluru – Volunteer for Parks. The event turned a weekend morning into a collective effort to care for the city's shared spaces.

According to media reports, the event, supported by Multigen, brought together families, environmental organisations and public representatives for a clean-up drive and activities focused on environmental awareness.

Among those present were former IIIT-B director Professor Sadagopan and Bengaluru North City Corporation commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar. Sadagopan urged residents to move beyond voicing complaints and take part in sustained efforts to improve their surroundings.

Citizen participation can help nurture greener public spaces. It also raises an important question: how can communities contribute without civic authorities stepping back from their responsibilities?

At Jakkur, a phone-in joins the clean-up

The event also brought that question into the conversation. As Mirror Now reported on 12 October, Commissioner Sunil Kumar acknowledged the challenges civic bodies face in managing waste and public littering. He said infrastructure alone could not solve the problem without a change in public behaviour.

He announced a Tuesday phone-in session on solid-waste management, in addition to the existing Friday sessions. He also invited residents to monitor waste-management micro-plans at local mustering centres, where sanitation workers organise their work.

The event also included de-weeding, plogging and workshops for children. Students from Greenfield Public School in Sampigehalli were among the participants.

When a morning walk becomes a watering round

At Vengaiah Lake in east Bengaluru, residents are using their daily walks to keep young trees alive instead of organising a large clean-up.

In a report published on 15 May, Bangalore Mirror documented the Bhagiratha initiative. Lake walkers bring water in........

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