A day with Ramesh

Today we traveled to Chele Kere, a lake on the northeast corner of Bengaluru to meet with Ramesh, a well digger who we learned was Ramakrishna’s brother. He was working on digging 15 recharge wells for a park on the south side of the lake (13° 1' 31" N,  77° 38' 41" E). His crew had just started working in the area earlier that morning, but had already almost finished digging one well and had started on two others. The crushed rock had already been delivered and sat in several large piles nearby. We learned that while BBMP had facilitated the recharge wells, the funding actually came from the NGO United Way who found donors and contracted with Ramesh. He showed us around the area where the wells would go, indicating where soil with a cracked surface indicated that water had pooled in a low spot and dried up sometime in the past.

Digging a recharge well and cracked ground evidence of a low spot

We learned he employed 40 well diggers when he had work, but that he had spent the last month without and most of his crew had resorted to construction or general labor to make ends meet. He definitely felt pressure to find work to keep his crew busy so they could all provide for their families. He told us about a few of his previous projects, digging 300 recharge wells in Lalbagh Park last November and December and another digging 160 recharge wells in a layout. Those projects had provided a lot of reliable work for his crews and also gave him the opportunity to share his contact information with park visitors who had later contacted him to do several private wells.

Ramesh’s crew digging recharge wells

We left the park and, after a brief stop for an early lunch, we followed Ramesh to a well rejuvenation project northwest of Manchenahalli. An engineer had purchased 10 acres for a small herd of cows and wanted to rejuvenate the existing well. It had fallen into disrepair and been filled with silt, and debris. The top stone pitching had collapsed and it was overgrown with bushes and weeds. His crew had already cleared the brush and excavated down about 12 feet. The well was approximately 15 feet in diameter and Ramesh told us he thought it was about 30 feet deep.

Removing silt and debris from an old well

Unfortunately the project relied on power that was sourced from a nearby powerline that was used to power an electric winch and a pump to dewater the well. The power was only on from noon until 4 pm and after dark. This meant that the crew only had 4 hours to work a day with daylight, and it was during the hottest part of it. They had wired a lightbulb on the end of a stick to easily show if power was available. 

Whenever the bulb illuminated the crew would quickly pump the water out of the well and begin digging, filling up large rubber containers made from old bus tires  and using the electric winch to pull them to the surface where they were emptied before being sent back in the well for another load. They were making good progress until the power unexpectedly went out, stopping progress for 20 minutes. Everyone climbed out of the well and found shade until jumping back to work the moment the bulb was illuminated again.

We were able to interview Ramesh, between him helping his crew to make sure the pump was working properly and stopping to drink tender coconut water from fresh coconuts that a local villager brought out to the well. We gathered information for a well-digger biography as well as exploring any struggles he faced in his work. He mentioned he missed climbing down in the well and digging himself. He enjoys working on open wells, building new ones or rejuvenating old ones. He takes pride in his work and wants to leave a finished product that looks finished. He also has 2 children, but he’s unsure that they will follow his footsteps to be well diggers. 

Group picture with Ramesh’s rejuvenation crew

The power shut off promptly at 4pm and the crew was done for the day. They had made significant progress cleaning out approximately 8 feet of silt and debris from the well. We took some pictures with the crew and a closeup photo of Ramesh to use in his bio. A couple of his crew jumped the nearby fence to walk to a river that's a couple hundred metres away to rinse off from working in the mud. Before we left, Ramesh walked us to the opposite side of the property where we peered over the fence and saw a neighbor’s well that was overgrown. Ramesh was hoping he would be able to get the contract to rejuvenate that well while he was in the area.

18/2/23 Update:

Ramesh brought in a portable generator to enable a longer workday. At approximately 30 feet, the well narrowed to approximately 8 feet in diameter.

Photo of the narrow section of the well.

Cubbon Park & Russell Market Well Visits

After a morning of classes, Sophia, Chloe, and I met up with Ayushi to visit several open wells in Cubbon Park and Russell Market. I had seen several open wells in Cubbon Park previously while exploring the park on a weekend and an employee from the NGO SayTrees had shown me a photo of the well in Russell Market after it had been rejuvenated. I was looking forward to seeing the wells, particularly the one in Russell Market as the photos I’d been shown of it were of a beautiful well that had been creatively restored.

We walked through Cubbon Park, stopping near a concrete lid that we thought might be a recharge well–a quick smell test quickly dispelled the notion as we realized it was just access to a sewer line. We then approached the first of 7 open wells inside the park. We were unable to get a water sample for TDS readings but we were able to lower a tape measure from under the leaf screen through the metal grate to gather a water level measurement for all but two of the wells. We struggled to find one of the wells, labeled on the map as “Cubbon Park Recharge Wells - Open Well Three. When we approached the location found on the map, what we found instead was a sprinkler trickling a small stream of water into a small depression–obviously not an open well.


The pinned location of “Open Well Three” and the actual well once we found it.

We continued walking through the park and stumbled across the missing well approximately 200 meters northwest from where it was pinned. We made note of its true location and measured its elevation, size, and depth of water below ground level. We finally made our way north to catch autos to go to Russell Market. After a brief ride, we arrived and began making our way to where the well was. As it came into view, I was immediately shocked to see garbage floating on the water surface inside the well.

The well was unique in that the nearby arterial, MF Norrena Street, encroached on the west side. A steel and concrete structure had been built to support the road over the edge of the well and a metal grate had been installed about three feet below ground level to prevent someone from falling in the well. There was a leaf screen over the metal grate but the water level in the well was high enough to cover the screen and grate with a couple inches of water.


Photo of Russell Market Well and of me measuring the TDS.

The water was close to the surface so we were able to reach down and test the TDS (317 PPM.) While doing so, several people wandered over, curious as to what we were doing. In our conversation with them, we discovered that the well is believed to predate the British in the city and that the British used the well’s water for their calvary’s horses. They told us that it was connected to 7 other wells in the area, but that some of them had been closed. It would be interesting to locate any of these other wells and verify their condition.

While we were talking around the well, a young boy with a large jug ran up, jumped down onto some garbage on top of the well’s grate, and filled the jug. I was surprised to see anyone using water from the well when the water’s surface was covered with litter. We asked him what the water was for as he climbed out with his jug of water, and he responded “washing clothes.” I was relieved that it wasn’t being used for drinking or cooking, But I found myself grateful that the well, despite not looking pristine, was still getting used by the community.

It’s been about a year and a half and the well is definitely cleaner than it was before being cleaned. But there remains a drastic contrast between it and the other rejuvenated wells we visited earlier in the day. I think one major difference that could lead to this is ownership. Nearly every well we monitored in Cubbon Park included a conversation with a park employee to ensure that we weren’t going to harm the well (or in one case, that I wouldn’t injure myself.) In Russell Market, There was no one around when we were there who had taken ownership of the well to make sure that it was maintained.

Since the visit, I have read several articles about the well’s rejuvenation. Despite the garbage, the well in Russell Market still remains beautiful, but it isn’t the spot that the articles I’ve read dreamed it would become. I think facilitating ownership by the community or by an individual might be key in transforming it into the idyllic place that it has the potential to be. Unfortunately I’m unsure as to the best way to achieve that.


Group photo of GCIL Interns with Ayushi in front of the market

Kodichikkanahalli Community Well Rejuvenation

Today we visited a well in Kodichikkanahalli where we got to witness our first well rejuvenation! This well is a public well that is 150+ years old. The well is about 50’ deep and 9’ in diameter. This well rejuvenation will not only clean out the well, but also add a tank and public tap so that community members will have free access to the well water for household needs. Currently, community members get municipal tap two days a week, so this well will be a great new water source for them. It was very interesting to be at the well for long enough to see the pile of trash from the bottom of the well grow and grow as bucket loads were removed. By the end of the day, Ramakrishna’s crew had removed the extent of the silt and garbage from the well. They would be returning the following day and that by that time it should be recharged to about 30’ of water. It will take a few more days to organize the pump and wiring to make sure the well is fully functional, then the community will be able to use their new well! 

An aerial view of the well during rejuvenation. Notice the bucket to remove silt and debris.

Ramakrishna and his crew standing in front of the well and behind the pile of silt and debris they removed from the well that day.

After speaking with a woman living near the well, we learned that the well used to be used by the community. She said that even just 30 years ago, the neighborhood used to be very forested, but rapid urbanization brought more water infrastructure, and the well fell into disuse. She expressed excitement about the well being rejuvenated and seemed very happy with how it was being executed so far.

We took our visit as an opportunity to also interview Ramakrishna for our well digger profiles that we are working on for Biome. As always, he was a pleasure to talk to and learn more about. He was very eager to talk about past jobs he has worked on, and also got into some of his difficulties finding well digging work until he was connected with Biome. He expressed extreme gratitude for all that Biome has taught him and the opportunities that have been brought to him after being affiliated with Biome. Ramakrishna also talked about his interest in old wells and how he enjoys the history behind them. As always, it was very inspiring to have a chance to speak with Ramakrishna and hear about his love for wells and how passionate he is about his job.

Jody, Chloe, and Sophia standing on the well with Ramakrishna and his crew.

It felt great to complete our first interview for our well digger profiles. All of us also had a great time learning about the rejuvenation process with Ramakrishna and found it very exciting. We are looking forward to meeting more of the well diggers in Bangalore!

This well is located at 12.8986625° N, 77.6157692° E.

Lalbagh Park Visit

Today, we visited Lalbagh Park with Suma and Neelima. First, we visited our first step well, which is located near Lalbagh Lake. The well was rejuvenated by Biome this past year. It was previously contaminated with leaf litter and in need of desilting. Suma led the way along the outside of the well through piles of leaves, stomping to ward off any nearby snakes. We made our way safely to the well’s entrance, where we then navigated the ropes for the safety and shade nets that prevent debris from contaminating the open well. 

The entrance to the open step well at Lalbagh Park.

Once under the netting, we had a clear view of the 25 ft wide, 30 ft deep well with stairs descending down the sides, disappearing from view into murky water about 20 ft down. Jody adventurously made his way to the bottom of the stairs to take a TDS measurement (159 PPM), but I stayed at the top and even made sure to grip the wall when I had to go down a few more steps to be visible in a group photo. 

Jody, Chloe, Sophia, and Neelima in the open step well at Lalbagh Park.

After we emerged from the well, Suma took some time to give us more details on the ‘Million Wells for Bengaluru’ campaign. She explained that two of the main aims of the campaign are to create more public awareness about the shallow aquifer and to give livelihood to traditional well diggers. We have been learning a lot in the past few weeks about the importance of well diggers, so it was interesting to also hear about public knowledge of the shallow aquifer. While open wells connected to the shallow aquifer used to be a big water source, once Bangalore began getting water from the Cauvery River, people started using shallow aquifer water less and less. Now, many people do not understand the effectiveness of recharge wells and open wells. The campaign, with the help of Biome and many other NGOs, will hopefully help to bring back this public knowledge of wells so that people can make informed decisions about their water sources. 

We then visited two smaller open wells in the park. Suma explained that both of the wells were filled with lots of trash. One of them required 10-15 tractor loads of trash to be removed! We also heard a slightly happier story: that only two days after restoration of the last open well we saw, there was 10 ft of water in the well. She said that you just need the wells to be rejuvenated and the water will come.