Income tax, forest depts clean up Madiwala lake

As a prelude to the 158th Income Tax Day, the I-T department joined forces with the Karnataka State Forest Department and citizen watch group United Bengaluru to clean up and plant trees at the Madiwala Lake on Saturday.

B R Balakrishnan, IRS, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Karnataka and Goa region, said the initiative was an opportunity to give back citizens what they have been paying in taxes.

“When we think of social awareness programmes, two major issues about the city come to mind: traffic and lakes. Many of the city’s lakes are in a bad state due to pollution and encroachment. This effort would continue and we’ll be working on other lakes as well,” Balakrishnan said.

The 272-acre lake, rejuvenated 15 years ago, received a Rs 25-crore grant in 2016 from the Lake Development Authority. The lake has seen a massive transformation over the years from being a lifeless waterbody to housing a bio-diversity park.

The lake is now home to a variety of flora and fauna, including the butterfly park, started recently within its premises.

A Vidyashankar, a senior member of the Madiwala Tank Lake Foundation and certified lake warden, said the STP in use has become dysfunctional and is allowing the sewage to enter the lake.

“We conducted the lake water tests with the help of experts recently. The tests revealed the presence of pollutants in permissible limits. But we fear the contamination now as sewage is entering the lake due to the malfunctioning of the STP here. We’ve written to BWSSB and they have promised action,” Vidyashankar said.

“We have spent Rs 7.5 crore this year for boating activities, to build a walking stretch and a green house to nourish plant saplings, including an STP, and other minor things. It will be very helpful if we receive funds through CSR activities from organisations and companies,” he added.