KR Puram lake becomes bone of contention

Residents of KR Puram village remember the lake in their vicinity as a brimming water body at one point in time. But the once-abundant K R Puram lake is now being lost to unabated encroachment and increasing constructional activities in its surroundings.

The lake, which was located on either side of a narrow road in the KR Puram village was developed by the Lake Development Authority (LDA) and a private firm on a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model in the year 2006.

However, in 2008, widening of the road that divided the lake was undertaken to facilitate smooth flow of traffic. During the course of construction of the road, one side of the lake bed was filled with mud to bring it to the level of the pre-existing road.

 The part of the lake that was levelled has now allegedly been encroached. That the water bodies on either side of the road were parts of the same lake has now become a bone of contention between LDA authorities and residents.

The two parts of the lake were supposedly linked through a Stormwater drain (SWD).

“Earlier, rain water and excess water from the now-existing north-east part of the lake flowed through the SWD into the dry portion of the lake. But the SWD has now been blocked because of the construction and there is no water flow between the two parts,” said one of the residents.

According to sources, an apartment complex comprising 600 units will be coming up on the parched lake site. Preparations are on in full swing with private builders levelling the lake bed and removing silt. A security guard has also been deployed at the site. Subaiah S, a resident, fears that the builders will exhaust water from what is now remaining in the lake.

When contacted, Executive Engineer of LDA, Nagaraja S R denied all allegations of encroachment. “The lake that has dried up is not a part of the KR Puram lake. We are not aware of any kind of illegal constructions taking place at the lake side. Residents are spreading false information about encroachments,” he said.