Bengaluru: Survey of lakes begins to evict encroachers

Bengaluru: Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru Urban J. Manjunath has commenced the survey of lakes and Storm Water Drain (SWD) and reclamation work from Muthanallur lake.

Manjunath has instructed the officials to survey the lakes and evict encroachers.

This is part of clearing encroachments of lakes and SWDs to fix boundaries and buffer zones which will be an integral part of lake rejuvenation.

This work will continue in order to fix SWDs across Muthanallur lake, Devara Kere, Batthalakere, Bidaruguppe, Signena Agrahara, Chandapura Cholarakatte, Kachanayakanahalli and other connecting lakes in Phase-1. One of the pivotal parts of the drive is the public participation model.

"Any youth can join us. Whoever wants to help us in clearing the encroachment are welcome. It is a great moment for us that the lakes will soon be cleared off encroachments. Revenue department, minor irrigation department, RDPR department and survey, settlement and land records departments are participating in the drive," former army veteran Captain Santhosh Kumar who was at the forefront of coordinating with the government agencies to evict the encroachers told this newspaper.

Kumar has earlier raised an alarm on the brazen exploitation of the area through a letter to Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa in which he had listed the exploitation of Chandpura, Muthanallur and Deverakere lakes. These lakes have been an integral part of the water source for several villages and settlements around.

Everyday more than hundred tankers in summer operate around these lakes and draw 50 lakh litres a day to supply water to other parts of the city.

The stone polishing units and cement shops have come up in the buffer zone of Storm Water Drains (SWD) and lakes.

"These lakes are part of a system of interconnected lakes and tanks /canals that receive virtually all the surface runoff, wastewater, and sewage in Anekal taluk. The discharge of toxic effluents into the lake from the surrounding industries poses a threat to the water bodies," he added.

Unauthorised mining is done along the lake catchment / bund areas and it's a rampant business, growing at an unprecedented rate on every passing day.

"After 100 days of continuous work from March to June, 4.5 km of SWD from Muthanallur lake to Battalkere lake was freed from encroachment. The result is that today Battalkere lake is brimming with water," Kumar added.