After 12 years of neglect, lake to be rejuvenated

Y. Maheswara Reddy | NT

The rejuvenation of Gangashetty Lake has commenced after more than a year of allocation of funds. Residents and lake activists in and around K.R. Puram have been demanding that the BBMP Lakes Department should take up rejuvenation of this water body, which has been neglected for more than 12 years.

“I am very happy with the progress of desilting work. I have to thank the BBMP Lake Department authorities for rejuvenating this lake that has been pending for quite a long time. I want the BBMP Lakes Department to get the lake surveyed by the revenue department to know the actual boundary of the lake,” said Balaji Raghotham, a lake activist.

Srinivasan P, who played a key role in developing a Miyawaki forest near K.R. Puram, has also said that he was very happy that BBMP authorities have taken up lake rejuvenation. “I want the residents around the lake to take an active role in rejuvenation efforts. They should form a committee to protect the lake from encroachers, and make suggestions to the BBMP Lakes Department. I think lake rejuvenation without local residents’ participation will not serve any purpose in the long run,” Srinivasan said.

Gangashetty Lake is spread over 21 acres and 27 guntas and all these years it has been a destination for dumping all types of waste, including dust collected by BBMP’s mechanical sweeping machines. A portion of the lake land has been occupied by illegal squatters.

Local residents allege that vote bank politics have prevented the revenue authorities from evicting the squatters. No action was taken by the authorities concerned despite the lake being situated just opposite of Bengaluru East Tahsildar Office.

Yele Srinivas, a social activist from K.R. Puram, has said the residents and lake activists have struggled for more than 12 years to convince the BBMP authorities to allocate funds for the rejuvenation of Gangashetty Lake.

“I am of the opinion that the authorities concerned should and must fix the boundaries of the lake before commencing desilting the lake. A portion of the lake has been encroached by influential people. An apartment construction is in progress without following buffer zone norms,” said Yele Srinivas, adding that the contractor has to put up a board with all details such as cost of the project, commencement date and the deadline to complete the work.

Meanwhile, BBMP assistant executive engineer (lakes) Bhuprada was not available for comment.