Tanks and ponds are the life line of any civilisation. If they are brimming with water then there would be no dearth of drinking water. Thus, there should be no room for the encroachment of the tanks and ponds.

Such cases of encroachment should be brought to the notice of the concerned officials, said legislator K Srinivasa Gowda and District- in- charge Minister Alangur Srinivas.

Despite such repeated requests by the ministers to bring the issue of encroachment to the notice of the authorities, the process of encroachment of the tanks is rampant in both the rural and urban areas. It is saddening to know that the concerned departments are not pitching in to contain the problem.

Tanks come under the purview of the Small Irrigation Department. However, the department is not doing anything to stop the widespread encroachment of the tanks.

In rural areas tanks facilitate agricultural activities, are a source of drinking water to the cattle, birds. Tanks help to increase the ground water table as well. They play a very pivotal role in the agrarian economy.

Primary source

In the urban areas tanks are a primary source of drinking water to the city dwellers. However, now the tanks in the urban areas are being encroached upon at an alarming rate. Moreover, the development of these tanks and its maintenance is also not being taken care of.

Ammanikere is one of the largest tanks in Kolar. One portion of the this tank is attached to the city. The encroachment of this portion of the tank is going on in an unhindered manner. But the concerned department seems to be completely apathetic to the whole problem. In addition to this the sewage of the city is also being diverted into this tank.

The government in recent times has taken a very strong stance with regard to the prevention of the encroachment of the tank areas.

But somehow this stand of the government doesn't seem to hold good in the case of Ammanikere tank. Many have already encroached the tank from Kurubara Pet also.

Some have built houses too and some have been planning to build houses by encroaching further. There are nearly three acres of tank land encroached and none is bothered about it.

Memorial

Meanwhile, a memorial was inaugurated on the occasion of 60th Independence day on the pretext of establishing a Sub regional Science centre.

The most sad part of it is that the centre was inaugurated by Science and Technology Minister Ramachandra gowda.

Added to all these, the City Municipal Corporation which is responsible to control the encroachment of the tank has kept mum turning out to be a very irresponsible one.