Despite heavy spending, city lakes are in poor state

The Hindu, 25th Dec 2010

By Staff Reporter

BBMP panel inspects three lakes

Though a large sum of money has been spent on development and upkeep of lakes in the city during the last three years, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Standing Committee for Horticulture appears to be far from satisfied with the condition of the water bodies.

After inspecting Uttarahalli, Dorekere and Puttenahalli lakes on Friday, members of the committee, including its chairman K. Ranganna found that the water bodies remained in a bad condition, with encroachments and little water despite the huge sums of money pumped in to develop the lakes.

Over the past three years, the civic authority has spent Rs. 6 crore, but has only been able to construct an embankment and pathway.

The lakes were full of weeds and plastic waste, the members noted.

The members found that the BBMP had failed to prevent discharge of sewage into Dorekere and Puttenahalli lakes. Both BBMP and Revenue Department had failed to clear the encroachments, they charged. Mr. Ranganna said that a survey had been ordered to ascertain the exact area of the lakes and notices would be issued to those who have encroached upon them.

Rejuvenation

Later, Mr. Ranganna told presspersons that the lakes would be rejuvenated before the onset of monsoon and Sewage Treatment Plants (STP) would be set up at Uttarahalli and Dorekere lakes. STP with a capacity of treating 0.5 million litres per day (MLD) would be set up at Uttarahalli lake, while STP with a capacity of one MLD would be set up at Dorekere.

A slum with 70 huts had encroached upon Puttenahalli lake. Despite offering them a rehabilitation package at Kaggadasapura, the slum-dwellers were not willing to move, the members were told. Mr. Ranganna said that the slum-dwellers would be evicted in the next two months and the lake would be rejuvenated.

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