JOIN USWhile on the one hand the district administration organises workshops for the rejuvenation of tanks, on the other hand, officials themselves make it convenient for the encroachment of tanks.
For instance, officials have neglected the Gowdanakere tank located behind Gautam Nagar. The tank exists only in name.
The bank of the tank has been completely damaged.
The tank, in Survey No 64, once provided water to Maskam, Gollarahalli and other villages besides besides helping in the increasing of the water table, has now totally disappeared.
However, Bangarpet tahsildar in a written report to the Karnataka Public Land Corporation Limited, has said that no encroachment has taken place in Gowdanakere tank bed.
A site adjacent to Gowdanakere tank has been allocated to Morarji Desai Residential School. In 2006 the Social Welfare Department had made a request for allocation of 15 acres of land in Survey No 46.
However, the Revenue Department officials inspected the spot and recommended 6 acres of land in Survey No 64 of Gowdanakere tank bed thus sealing the fate of the tank. In support of this the technical division of Zilla Panchayat reported to the Tahsildar that they no objection to the shutting of the tank.
Now, the drains through which the water flowed to the tank has been closed. The diameter of the drain behind the KSRTC depot has been reduced.
A private layout coming up next to the tank has been approved by the KGF Development Authority on the condition that the formation of the layout should not affect the tank in anyway.
Due to various efforts by vested interests to kill the tank, there is no accumulation and storage of water in the tank. The taluk administration says that private layout has encroached the tank bed for the formation of a road. However, its report is mum on the destruction of the tank.
As the tank is no more useful, there is a demand for the establishment of a first grade college in the tank bed. The district administration has approved the appeal of the college administration and had written to the government to grant land in the tank bed.
However, the divisional commissioner had written to the district administration that as the said land was a tank, it could not be used for any other purpose. It also suggested the rejuvenation of the tank.