Trusts denounce scrapping of lake conservation partnership by BBMP

Neighbourhood involvement in protecting and conserving lakes is facing a setback with the BBMP’s failure to renew its formal agreement with civil society organisations.

Since 2009, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has been inking memoranda of understanding with various trusts to maintain the lakes, which encouraged the participation of residents in rejuvenating the waterbodies.

The Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT), Mahadevpura Parisara Samrakshane Mattu Abhivrudhi Samiti (MAPSAS), Jalaposhan and Iblur Environs Trust — organisations actively involved in lake conservation efforts — are now lamenting that years of work have come to nothing with the Palike’s termination of lake conservation partnerships.

In a joint statement, the trusts said abandoning lake conservation partnership threatens the existence of the waterbodies, besides affecting public involvement in conserving them by preventing littering, encroachment and discharge of sewage.

They said the BBMP has cited an April 2020 direction by the Karnataka High Court that the government shall not execute an MoU with corporate entities to not renew their MoUs.

“The BBMP officers are well aware that none of us are a corporate entity nor do we engage in any commercial activity,” the letter said.

The organisations are formally registered not-for-profit trusts promoting environmental awareness. They decided to file interlocutory applications to avoid collateral damage, but a representative of one of the trusts said precious time has been lost.

Mukund Kumar, managing trustee, Iblur Environs Trust, said the trust has invested about Rs 16 lakh annually for two gardeners, a staffer and material charges for the maintenance of the lake.

Although the fund was secured through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, there was no commercial activity.

“In our absence, the BBMP is now taking up the work. However, heavy rain over the last two months has brought up new challenges, which could have been addressed in a much sustainable way if we were involved,” Kumar said.

The trusts played a crucial role in protecting Iblur Lake from multiple encroachment attempts. It filed petitions against such encroachments, prompting the Lokayukta to issue directions. Similarly, MAPSAS and PNLIT have also fought against encroachment drives.

Representatives of the four trusts recently met BBMP officials to urge an early resolution of the issue.

DH could not reach B Reddy Sankar Babu, special commissioner for lakes, for a comment.