Babus’ apathy stalls lake rejuvenation

Revenue officials have failed to clear settlements near Shikaripalya Lake.

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

Bengaluru: Shikaripalya Lake near Electronics City is riddled with effluent discharge and encroachments, and the apathy shown by the city authorities is proving to be a stumbling block for all rejuvenation efforts.

The residents and lake activists blame the revenue authorities for the delay in relocating people who put up settlements on the water body. It is said Wipro had come forward to rejuvenate the water body in 2019, but could not take it up as the revenue officials are yet to relocate the families residing on the lake land.

The residents have complained that revenue authorities have assured them to clear the encroachments during the second week of December, but did nothing till date.

“We have been appealing to the revenue officials and Tahsildar of Anekal to relocate those people residing on the lake land. The revenue officials have to survey the land and fence it to facilitate rejuvenation of the lake by Wipro,” said B.S.V. Prasad, president of Shikaripalya Lake Conservation Committee.

He said the residents are compelled to live along a polluted water body. “The lake has become stinky due to indiscriminate dumping of garbage in the lake which falls under Hulimavu Panchayat. The authorities want us to pay property tax on time, but they do not have funds to rejuvenate the water body,” he said.

Mani Ranjan, a resident, has demanded Wipro to release funds for the rejuvenation of Shikaripalya. “Wipro has signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government to rejuvenate Shikaripalya Lake. While other nearby water bodies are being developed, the rejuvenation of Shikaripalya has been pending for a quite long time,” said Mani Ranjan.

He has blamed Tahsildar of Anekal for only giving assurance but not doing anything either to fence the water body or relocate the families residing on the lake land. “We are contemplating filing a public interest litigation (PIL) against the people responsible for delaying Shikaripalya Lake rejuvenation,’’ he said, adding that the DPR for the lake rejuvenation was prepared three years ago.

Ishan Singh, a local resident, has said that it has become tough for the residents to cope with bad odour emanating from the water body. “I want the authorities concerned to relocate the families as early as possible to enable rejuvenation of the lake,” Singh said.

Meanwhile, Anekal Tahsildar has said that he has been busy with the elections to the local bodies. “I will take measures to relocate the families residing on the lake land and fence the lake within a month,’’ he assured.