Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has called for immediate and concerted efforts to protect the natural assets of Bengaluru, including its lakes and public lands, amid the city’s rapid urban growth. Speaking at a district-level review meeting with senior officials, he stressed the need to preserve Bengaluru’s ecological balance for future generations.

Presiding over the first interdepartmental review meeting held at the Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner’s office, Shivakumar directed officials to prioritise lake conservation efforts. “Preventing encroachments, curbing pollution from industrial waste, desilting, fencing, and installing sewage treatment plants (STPs) around lakes must be treated as urgent tasks,” he said.

He urged authorities to mobilise resources for lake conservation using local government grants or through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives where possible. Departments including the Zilla Panchayat, municipal bodies, the Lake Development Authority, and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board were instructed to jointly compile a comprehensive database of lakes and prepare an action plan for their restoration and protection.

According to the Bengaluru Urban District Administration, of the 1,18,425 acres of government land in the district, around 34,360 acres are under encroachment. Deputy Commissioner Jagadish G informed the meeting that while 12,482 acres had been reclaimed so far, approximately 8,152 acres still remain under illegal occupation.

The Deputy CM emphasised that all anti-encroachment operations must be conducted fairly and transparently. “Land surveys must be accurate and all decisions legally sound. No government official should be involved in unlawful land transactions,” he cautioned.

Addressing concerns over solid waste management in the city, Shivakumar instructed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to intensify its efforts. He called for mandatory GPS installation in all waste collection and disposal vehicles operating across the district to ensure better monitoring and accountability.

“All departments must work with sincerity for the comprehensive development of Bengaluru,” Shivakumar said, adding that the implementation of directions issued during the meeting would be reviewed after a month.

The meeting was attended by BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath, Deputy CM’s Secretary Rajendra Cholan, Bengaluru Urban Deputy Commissioner J Jagadish, Zilla Panchayat CEO Latha Kumari, Planning Officer Vinutha Rani, and other senior district-level officials.