JOIN USHouse committee lays bare neglect, misuse of lakes in City
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly committee, headed by Congress MLA K B Koliwad, has made several observations regarding the manner in which water bodies have been neglected and misused. This came after the committee visited various lakes in the City.
Details of certain lakes and their conditions are presented here.
Halagevaderahalli Lake, Rajarajeshwari Nagar:
The Halagevaderahalli tank, spread across 17 acres 10 guntas is maintained by BBMP. As much as 6 acres 9 guntas has been encroached upon. While 1 acre 28 guntas has been used for road construction, 4 acres 21 guntas have been encroached. To improve the condition of this live lake, a sum of Rs 1.70 crore has been spent. The committee has expressed its satisfaction over the lake condition. It has also suggested that an STP can be installed here to treat effluents from Vrushabhavati, so as to improve the lake.
Channasandra Lake II, Banasavadi
The committee has noticed demolition of some shops in the lake area. The extent of the lake is 42 acres 38 guntas. Of this, the BDA has formed a layout on 14 acres 27 guntas. Private persons have encroached upon 2 acres 39 guntas. The remaining 25 acres is in possession of brothers Katappa and Ponappa and a case is pending in this regard.
Koudenahalli Lake,
Ramamurthy Nagar
This live lake has an area of 55 acres 10 guntas and rainwater harvesting is being done here. As much as 34 acres 10 guntas has been encroached. Of this, St Anne’s College has encroached upon 10 acres 20 guntas and the matter is pending in court. Other structures include a government primary school, unauthorised houses, layouts and slums. The BBMP is managing the lake. The district authorities have asked for the encroachments to be cleared. Currently, private individuals are maintaining the lake and the committee has expressed its satisfaction over the status.
B Narayanapura Lake, Mahadevpura
The Narayanapura lake was dry when the committee visited it. The lake is spread over 15 acres 6 guntas and 7 acres 5 guntas has been encroached upon. BDA has taken 2 acres 20 guntas for ring road construction. A temple has come up on 25 guntas. There are illegal houses too. Of the encroached area, 1 acre has been reclaimed. The BDA has taken over the lake management. A sum of Rs 1.60 crore has been announced for the improvement of the lake and Rs 1.4 crore has been spent. The lake has not shown any sign of improvement.
Chinnappana Lake, Marathahalli
The lake is spread over 11 acres 34 guntas. Only one acre of the lake area needs to be reclaimed from encroachments. A sum of Rs two crore has been spent for improvement of the lake. Flow of effluents is diverted from the lake. The committee has expressed its satisfaction over the lake maintenance.
Sheelavantana Lake, Marathahalli
The lake extends over 19 acres 32 guntas and has lost 2 acres 37 guntas to encroachments. The cases pertaining to this are pending in court. A good number of developmental works have taken place here. The committee is of the view that suitable action should be taken to improve the lake.
Kaigondanahalli Lake, Marathahalli
The committee was witness to a well-maintained lake. The lake is spread across 49 acres 7 guntas. Of this, 7 acres which was encroached upon has been retclaimed. Rainwater harvesting is being done here. A sum of Rs 6.63 crore has been spent on improving the lake. The committee has expressed its happiness over its maintenance.
If all the lakes are improved similarly, then City could get back many of its lost lakes, the panel said.