GBA revives part of dead lake, experts point to land grab
BENGALURU: As the Greater Bengaluru Authoritys (GBA) Climate Action Cell and Resilience Plan (BCAP) pats itself on its back for the revival of a dead lake, experts point out that there is nothing like a dead lake. They also say the corporation has been able to revive only a portion of the lake, while a large portion continues to be encroached and utilised for other purposes. BCAP officials termed it as Bengalurus first-of-its-kind dead lake revival project of the GBA. On Monday, officials posted on social media platform X: Once written off as a dead, lifeless water body, Kacharakanahalli Lake is now thriving as a community space. The total extent of the water body listed under revenue records was 56.26 acres. In 2020, following Karnataka High Court orders, the then BBMP was given possession of 16.28 acres for the creation of the water body, following which a detailed project report was prepared and work for revival of the water body started in 2023. After clearing roadside encroachments, illegal parking space and other encroachments, a total area of 17 acres has been recovered and made into a water body. The remaining land comprises a Bangalore Development Authority layout, private layout, choultry, religious institutions and playground. The GBA also handed over Rs 8crore to the Slum Development Board to relocate 447 slum-dwellers from the vicinity, but little has been done so far, GBA officials said. Nitya J, the GBA executive engineer who executed the project, said it took one-and-half years to revive the lake. It was a playground when the then BBMP was handed over the space to revive the lake. It is now filled with rainwater and overflowing sewage water. The outlet of the lake downstream is to Hennur Lake. She added that to ensure the water body is not polluted, aerators, trash barriers and floating wetlands will be set up. Prof TV Ramachandra from the Centre for Ecological Sciences said there are no dead lakes, because they carry rainwater and not sewage water. Ram Prasad, co-founder of Friends of Lakes, added that terming any lake dead is wrong, and is like trying to introduce a new term. Only a portion of the lake has been revived. Lake boundaries should have been maintained as per revenue records. A lake is termed revived if the water quality falls under B or C category as per the Central Pollution Control Board standards (suitable for drinking after conventional treatment, and bathing). But most lakes in Bengaluru do not even fall under D and E category (suitable for wildlife, fisheries, irrigation and industrial cooling). The lake is not holding even 30 per cent of its capacity. Building a bund, walking space, fencing and filling water is not lake revival. The GBA database shows 183 lakes under the five city corporations limits. There are 16 dead lakes as per GBA lake engineers. The total water holding capacity of the 183 lakes is 31,909.85 million litres. But at present, they hold not more than 26,543.23 million litres.
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