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2 DECCAN HERALD B Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Tomorrow: 12 pages CivicMetro 360° xxxxxxxxxxxxxx DH Realty BBMP BDA Parks and Lakes BMRDA Send your suggestions and views to [email protected] ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Dying lakes: A continuing story ( Blue marks on the maps indicate the water bodies) The widespread outcry about Bangalore’s vanishing lakes is finally waking up the City’s civic agencies. Plans are afoot to conserve the existing water bodies and even revive some of the old ones. The agencies better speed up, because at stake is Bangalore’s very existence as a liveable City. 1973 1992 2002 2007 Interview Vanishing lakes: Time to act now Subhash Chandra NS tions, educational programmes works. Even the crores of ru- sewerage into the lakes are cit- ports say. The BU study ob- fore discharge to valleys, has way back in 1994 by the Central and government stringent pees borrowed from interna- ed by both the IISc and BBMP serves that even waste water not kept pace with water use Ground Water Board. ere are some star- norms of the State Government tional agencies to clean the lakes reports, and another study by from the apartments end up in and draining by urban popula- With no proper demarca- tling findings that and appeal from Scientific have not been fruitful,”he says. the Bangalore University. The the lakes. tion,”the BBMP report reveals. tions, the water bodies have should explain the Community and environmen- IISc report finds that of the 360 “With the availability of piped Indiscriminate drilling of been easy targets for land BHARATLAL MEENA need for urgency: talists have repeatedly failed to Forty-two lakes lost to recognised slums in the City, water supply, the importance borewells is another cause cited sharks. But now, with the City’s Commissioner, BBMP The 262 wetlands arrest the disappearance of the development: only 30 percent have under- of surfaced water in lakes lost fo- for the disappearing lakes. With population requiring over 800 Hthat existed in Bangalore in water bodies. Of the 212 lakes, which the ground sewerage system. “In cus. The lack of adequate un- over 1,25,000 borewells in the million litres of water per day, To rejuvenate the 1962 had declined by a whop- Mass migrations into Banga- Palike claims the City has, 42 majority of the slums, waste derground water drainage sys- City, the water level has plunged the BBMP has no option but to dying lakes of the city, ping 58 per cent by 2007, ac- lore has doubled the City’s pop- were reportedly lost due to de- water is discharged through tem to intercept and divert the below 400 feet. The Bangalore revive and rejenuvate the what role is the BBMP cording to a study by the Ener- ulation in a few years. “Green- velopment work. They were storm water drains,” the re- used water for its treatment be- North Taluk was declared grey lakes. playing? gy and Wetland research ery is disappearing, ground converted to residential layouts, Currently, we are doing a brisk Group, Centre for Ecological water mining is draining some playgrounds, stadiums, indus- revenue survey of the lakes Sciences, Indian Institute of Sci- lakes, while the scourge of unac- tries, government buildings and FORTY-THREE LAKES and taking precautions to ence. While the City’s built up counted sewage and indiscrim- bus stands. Scores of private HAVE LOST THEIR ENTIRE clear encroachments and area shot up by 466 percent be- inate use of agro chemicals and projects, apartments, indepe- fence them for protection. tween 1973- 2007, the 51 active pesticides along the wetlands dent houses and commercial CHARACTER EITHER DUE The survey should be complet- wetlands in 1973 dipped to 17 by has gripped many,”explains Dr complexes now stand on erst- TO GOVERNMENT ed in the next two to three 2007. During the same period, Nandini, Professor, Depart- while lakes. PROJECTS OR TO PRIVATE. months. In fact, as and when the number of lakes in Greater ment of Environment Sciences According to the Palike, the the lakes are identified, the re- Bangalore came down from 159 (DES), Bangalore University. lakes on which the City was de- Prominent among them: ports are being sent to us by to only 93. Ishwar Prasad, Parisara, an pendent on water until the Dharmambudi lake: Con- the department. We will then The study found that the con- environmentalist involved in 1970s were neglected following verted into the Kempegow- be cleaning and desilting the dition of Northern part of greater greening Thippagondanahalli the Cauvery water supply da Bus terminus. lakes that are perishing. Bangalore was poorer than the reservoir catchment area scheme to pump water from a Sampige lake: Land used Southern region, where the City agrees: “Some lakes have disap- distance of 100 kms away from for the Kanteerava stadium BBMP’s efforts alone is growing faster. Strangely, the peared due to development the City. “This was the genesis Koramangala lake: Land may not suffice to help BBMP claims there are still 212 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| of lake destruction as the utility used for the National Dairy these water bodies. Is lakes in the City. of the lakes was not found for Research Institute the Palike in touch with oth- To protect the existing water Dr Nandini, Professor, the purpose for which it was ini- Akkithimannahalli lake: er civic agencies? bodies from pollution and en- BU Environment Dept.: tially used as. The lake sur- Converted into a Hockey We already have the co-ordi- croachment, the Lok Adalat “A Citizen’s enforce- roundings were covered by ur- Stadium. nating agency under former had issued directions recently. ment culture needs to ban set up and irrigation Sunkal Lake: The land now chief secretary to the Chief Following this, the BBMP has requirement totally dimin- houses the KSRTC regional Minister, A Ravindra’s chair- now launched a Rs. 900 crore be developed. It is ished,” says the BBMP report. Workshops manship to facilitate all the conservation project. important. Our environ- Hennur lake: Converted agencies in helping the dying It has been a losing battle for ment desperately needs Indiscriminate sewerage dis- into HBR layout. water bodies. We have also en- lake conservationists. Public In- the Citizen’s help.” posal: Twenty-one major lakes have been Vijinipura lake: Now con- listed the help of forest depart- terest Litigations, Court direc- Indiscriminate disposal of taken up for rejuvenation by BBMP verted as the Rajarajesh- ment officials in replenishing at a cost of Rs 336 crore. The largest wari layiut. and preserving the lakes. of these lakes is Bellandur lake (364 Vijayanagar Chord Road ha), while the smallest is the Malgal lake: Converted to Vijayna- The Palike’s lake re- lake (2.7 ha) gar lake port seems to show Storm water drain encroachments: Jakarayana Kere: Krishna that most lakes being Floor mills surveyed are around the A major lake-killer Tumkur Lake: Land used Bangalore city. What about for Mysore Lamps. those which are in the cen- angaloreans were once |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ging due to the encroachment tre of the city and those that caught in the mystery of drains. BBMP’S INITIATIVE TO have dried up? Bover the drying up of lakes The report says that the REJUVENATE A TOTAL OF Yes, we are mostly looking at while rains flooded the low-ly- changes related to flooding has lakes around the City. But, 144 LAKES IS ALREADY IN ing areas. But now it is clear become a routine after 2000. those which are identified and that both the issues have their Even a 30 mm rainfall for half THE PIPELINE. within the City have also been origin in the encroachment of an hour will lead to water log- The significant large lakes noted. We intend to replenish lakes, their catchment areas ging. The connectivity between include: those lakes by providing water and storm water drains, as a Yelchenhalli Kere and Madi- Bellandur lake spread and rejuvenate those areas. study by the Indian Institute of vala, and between Madivala and across 364 hectare area Science (IISc) reveal. Bellandur has been lost due to (ha). But most inlets have Encroachment of lakes has Dr TV Ramachandra, the encroachment. Yelahanka Lake, area: been encroached become a common thing, but senior scientist,IIsc: In the Bellandur- Ulsoor 121.68 ha upon by private resi- the land sharks have not even “We have lost over 35 Catchment area, with six lakes Kalkere lake, area: 75.68 dents. How do you intend to spared the storm water drains per cent of the lakes of Sankey, Ulsoor, Chalghatta, Another dying city lake ha clear those structures that and catchment areas. Over 50 since 2007. Only 33 live Chinanagara and Varthur, out Doddanekkundi lake, area: have already been con- percent of lakes are drying up tanks are existing now of the total 240 Million cubic 45.29 ha. structed? Glory that was Bangalore BBMP plans due to this and is resulting in ur- of which only 17 have meter of rainfall yield, only 90 Hulimavu Kere: area: We will try to identify those ban floodings, according to the million cubic meter is percolat- 44.26 ha lake areas that have been en- study conducted by the Energy water throughout the ed and 150 million cubic meter croached upon and clear The lakes in the three valleys of Hebbal, Vrushbavathi The BBMP plans to prevent fur- and Wetland Studies Research year. overflows, depriving the lake of The five smaller lakes under them. We will also be trying to and Koramangala Chellaghatta valley in the City had ther encroachment, enhance wa- Centre, Centre for Ecological most of the water.