Now, Indira Canteen coming up on Subramanyapura lake

After parks, playgrounds and bus stops, an Indira Canteen is now coming up on the inlet of Subramanyapura lake.

Leo F. Saldanha, coordinator of Environment Support Group, said this is a gross violation of the high court orders to conserve lakes, National Green Tribunal direction on buffer zones and the Justice N K Patil report on lake conservation.

He said the high court is still hearing a case pertaining to protection of Subramanyapura lake and in the meantime, the BBMP has encroached upon it. The lake has an area of 18 acres and the canteen, spreading across 1,000 sqft, is coming up on the Uttarahalli side.

According to site engineer Baiju from Kef Infra, who is constructing the canteen, the building will be ready on Tuesday morning as scheduled. Work started a month and half ago and on Monday night, the workers had completed the foundation and the superstructure. The workers have been directed to work overnight.

The lake is unique as it was the first in the city where the high court had clearly defined the rajakaluves and had directed the BBMP to clear encroachments and rehabilitate 350 families. Under case number 46523/ 2012, the high court is still hearing the case on solid waste management.

Interestingly, two weeks ago, the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority had directed the BBMP to fence and protect the lake. When the matter was brought to the notice of BBMP lake engineer Satish, he said he was unaware of it and promised to look into it.

But residents and conservationists said every assurance was a waste now. “The BBMP, which is supposed to be the guardian of the lake, has encroached upon it just to fulfil the chief minister’s mission of Indira Canteens. When the chief minister had directed purchase of private land, why did they encroach the lake?” asked Ramakanth, a resident of Uttarahalli.

BBMP commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said construction of all the canteens was over but said he will look into the matter.

He said he has spoken to the engineers and they have told him the canteen is away from the buffer zone. But based on people’s complaints, he promised to look into the matter on Tuesday.