Allocate Rs 200 cr to revive lakes, BBMP asks state

The Palike has asked the state government to provide Rs 200 crore in the forthcoming budget to revive the 58 lakes in the city.

Deputy Conservator of Forest, BBMP Lakes, Jagannatha Rao said rejuvenation of the Begur, Benaganahalli, Vibhootipura, Chunchaghatta, Sarakki, Somasundarapalya, Hoodi and Boganahalli Lakes have begun with the Rs 50 crore allotted in the previous budget.

The Lokayukta has been regularly inspecting the rejuvenation of the Sarakki Lake, undertaken at a cost of Rs 5.5 crore.

The civic body has prepared a detailed project report to revive the lake, Rao added.

He said the city's larger lakes need more funds for revival work. "The Kalkere-Rampura Lake is about 200 acres, Hulimavu Lake is about 145 acres and Chikka Begur is 45 acres. Other lakes are not this big a size," he said.

"We, therefore, require Rs 250 crore and a three-year timeframe to revive these lakes."

Post-budget, the civic body would take up revival works of the Kalkere-Rampura, Hulimavu, Chikkabegur, Basavanapura, Basaapura, Junnasandra, Seetarampalya, Mahadevapura, Gunjurupalya, Panathur, Gubbalala, Vasantpur, Konanakunte and Doddakallasandra Lakes.

Karnataka Lake Conservation Development Authority (KLCDA) chief executive officer Seema Garg dismissed speculations that the BBMP is demanding the government take over lakes managed by the Bangalore Development Authority.

The civic body would install Sewage Treatment Plants in five lakes. It will install STPS with a 10-litre capacity at a cost of Rs 4 crore in Devasandra Lake (near KR Puram), Doddakannahalli and Mahadevapura lakes.

Treatment plants will also come up in Kudlu and Uttarahalli lakes.