Residents campaign to revive ‘dead’ Jaraganahalli Lake

Nischith N. | NT

Residents living close to Jaraganahalli Lake, which has been completely encroached upon, have started a campaign to reclaim the water body.

Located adjacent to Kanakapura Road, Bengaluru South, the lake has been converted into a school playground. It has been encroached by the government and other private parties. The area has also turned into a huge garbage dump with slum settlements, nursery and a garage located on the lake bed.

According to the old revenue map, the lake was originally spread over more than six acres of the area. Later, a part of the lake was converted into a school playground for Jaraganahalli government primary school students in 1998, leaving behind only four acres of the lake which was present till 2008, after which it was concretized.

The water body is situated close to Annaiah and Sarakki lakes. It is claimed that there is no clear survey number given to this property, but some of the documents state that the lake is located in survey number 29/2C of the Jaraganahalli Village, Uttarahalli Hobli, and Bangalore South Taluk. Jaraganahalli Lake also found mention in the city’s revised master plan a few years ago.

Change makers, a citizen group from Kanakapura Road Association, told News Trail, “An online petition has been filed addressing the chief minister on Change.org demanding the restoration of the lake. Jaraganahalli (Survey map of 1904 – Jaraganahalli lake on Kanakapura road is visible in the map) the survey map of 1904 also shows the lake which clearly indicates that the lake existed for at least about 100 years. The Google map of 2008 showed a partial existence of the lake.”

Documents reveal that the revenue department in 1995 had acknowledged the encroachment of the lake.

Shilpa P, a local resident said, “I have been staying in this area for the past 25 years and have seen a lake in this place. But all of a sudden it disappeared. Today two private schools, a garage, nursery etc stand on the lake. The lake was filled with construction debris and mud. Today, there is no sign of it. Even a board stating the part as a lake was removed. We remember it to be a picnic spot in the early 1970’s but later on with the urbanisation this part was encroached.”

A c c o r d i n g to the online petition, it is stated “In 1999, a PIL filed by B . K r i s h n a Bhat, the court ordered the private parties not to dump debris or garbage into the lake.

But, the private parties (who are from political parties) claim that the lake was built by their forefathers and threaten if anyone touches this place. In 1998, the current local corporator who was then the CMC chairman was involved in conversion of a part of the lake as a Government school ground. There are a lot of politicians involved in making this lake dead since there is a high value for property here. Cur rently there are no remains of the lake. The sand mining lor ries, the mechanics and flower pot vendors have occupied the p l a c e a n d ove r some place, there is a huge garbage dumping happening.

The activists claim that storm water drain that passes through the lake has also been encroached and narrowed. It is like a complete loss of the water ecosystem.