Clear encroachments on Pattandur Agrahara Lake: HC

The high court on Friday issued notices to the BBMP, BDA, the Lake Development Authority and the state government seeking action to clear encroachments on the Pattandur Agrahara Lake in Kadugodi, Whitefield in East Bengaluru.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice B M Shyam Prasad issued the notices while hearing a PIL filed by Whitefield Rising Trust.

The trust has moved the court seeking directions to clear encroachments and safeguard the lake by fencing it on Survey 54, in Pattandur Agrahara and revive and develop the waterbody.

The petitioner has challenged the BBMP's impugned notification issued on 24 April 2017, under Section 14 B of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act 1961 and Rule 3 of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Benefit of Development Rights) Rules 2016 seeking to acquire various parcels of the land to lay a road. According to the petitioner, the BBMP is constructing an 80 feet road connecting Varthur Kodi Road to ITPL Main Road. The petitioner states that the road runs directly through the green belt/buffer zone of the Pattandur Agrahara Lake.

Advocate Jayna Kothari, the petitioner's counsel stated that debris was illegally being dumped in the lake's buffer zone. Illegal encroachment and felling of trees for construction purposes were also being carried out and that the BBMP and BDA were not taking any action against this.

The counsel also stated these activities were in stark contravention of the provisions of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act 2014.

The petitioner stated that they have made several representations to the authorities concerned but no action has been taken. This will severely damage the lake and its ecology. The court adjourned the matter for hearing to April 20.