The dilemma of balancing lake upkeep and empathy towards birds, dogs

Bengaluru: Lakes have historically been an integral aspect of Bengaluru city.

However, in recent times, many of these lakes have dried up and been repurposed into apartment complexes and IT parks. Despite this, the remaining lakes play a crucial role in preserving the city's depleted groundwater levels, supporting diverse ecosystems, and serving as habitats for migratory birds.

Popular lakes like Ulsoor, Sankey Tank, Lalbagh, and Agara attract crowds of walkers and joggers during dawn and dusk. However, concerns have been raised about the inadequate maintenance of these lakes, with reports of fencing gaps allowing stray dogs to enter.

Maintenance poses the greatest challenge, compounded by people feeding leftover rice and other food items to stray dogs and birds leading to pollution of the lake and even rat infestation. Instances of feeding cooked and raw meat to dogs within the lake premises have also been reported.

Speaking to DH, the in-charge at Horamavu Agara lake, said, “Around 100 to 200 walkers come here every morning and evening. Usually, the complaints are about the dogs that pack together. At times, we have seen snakes, too, that come here for rats.” She wondered, “Where else would they go, if not the lakes?”

Lake conservationists DH spoke to said the practice of feeding pigeons and dogs could be observed across several lakes. This attracts large packs of dogs during walking hours since people bring leftover food, they claimed.

Security officials at Ulsoor Lake said bird feeding has been stopped after complaints from the walkers’ association. “We received a complaint from them three to four months ago, claiming that feeding is attracting many birds and this causes infection and allergy because of the feathers,” they explained.

Though large-scale bird feeding has been stopped, individuals continue to feed birds at the quadrangle pond. “Littering the pond and the walkway may be a problem, but feeding the birds inside the pond hardly disturbs anyone. Birds are also part of the lake ecosystem,” said a woman who has been visiting the waterbody for the past six years.

A senior BBMP official told DH that they are looking to come up with a robust solution to address the problem. “Activists go up in arms against us when restrictions are placed. They fail to look at the larger picture,” the official added.