Leave the lake alone! Activists oppose ‘Cauvery Aarti’ on Sankey Tank bed

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Residents and activists in the vicinity of Sankey Tank in Bengaluru have strongly opposed the state government's ‘Cauvery Aarti’ scheduled for March 21. Reports indicate that the ceremony is expected to attract approximately 10,000 participants. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is overseeing the event, and preparations are currently underway.

However, local residents have raised concerns regarding the necessity of such a large-scale event. Preeti Sunderrajan from ‘Citizens for Sankey’ has outrightly opposed the government's decision to organise such grand event. "If they genuinely wish to honour the river, they should conduct the pooja at the ‘Kalyani’ designated for immersions," she stated. The proposed lighting displays, laser shows, and live orchestra will lead to potential threats to the lake's ecology. "The tank is already facing increased concretisation, and the aeration levels are nearly non-existent," she asserted. While the government claims that this pooja is intended to honour the Cauvery River, which serves 70 per cent of Bengalureans’ water needs, Preeti argues that true respect would involve assessing water quality and preventing further concretisation.

"This event does little to benefit the lake. The BWSSB and the lakes department of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) must prioritise monitoring water quality and keep a tab on sewage inflow into the lake," she emphasised. The residents have sent a letter to the chief executitive officer of the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) objecting to Friday's event. In the letter, they stated how the event is going to violate Section 12 of the KTCDA Act, 2014, which states that no commercial or recreational events should take place in the 30 metre radius of the lake.

Any detrimental act and usage other than storage and impounding of the lake is also prohibited. “Wetlands should not be made entertainment zones, and a lot of birds will also be disturbed if such events are conducted. Programmes like these should not happen here at any cost,” she concluded.