Karnataka Bank’s socio-economic movement got a fillip this week when its managing director and chief executive officer M.S. Mahabaleshwara inaugurated a rainwater harvesting (RWH) unit at bank’s headquarters here.
Inaugurating the unit, Mr. Mahabaleshwara said the bank came into existence with a mission and vision to contribute for the betterment of society along with the primary objective of generating economic growth and profits. The RWH system adopted by the bank should be a model for other corporate entities, he said.
Mr. Mahabaleshwara noted that despite getting bountiful rains, the coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka have lately been facing water crises during summer. RWH assumes significance in this backdrop and the bank’s initiative to install a unit of this scale is commendable, he said.
The MD noted that the bank was active in the corporate social responsibility space even before it was mandated by the law and continues to support various environment sustainability initiatives, including promoting the use of solar energy, reviving dying natural waterbodies, and assisting institutions in adopting RWH units, protecting flora and fauna.
The bank’s participation in Swachh Bharat Abhiyan started right from the premises of this head office two years ago, with the staff cleaning it. The activity was subsequently undertaken by all the branches and offices of Karnataka Bank across the country. Mr. Mahabaleshwara said the bank has been able to making its head office premises a plastic-free zone too. This is a forward-looking measure to directly address the water crisis while ensuring sustainability in the long run, he said.
The bank’s chief operating officer Y.V. Balachandra, general manager P.J. Vinay Bhat, assistant GMs Srinivas Deshpande, P.H. Vijaya Kumar and K.S. Ponnappa, District Nirmiti Kendra project director Rajendra Kalbavi, Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. general manager Arun Prabha, and Consulting Civil Engineers’ Association chairman Vimal Kirthi Kain were among those present.