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Many of the lakes which were restored by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) a few years back are in ruins. Spread across 11 acres, Kodige Singasandra Lake in Bommanahalli was restored at a cost of Rs 14,000 in 2019 but is facing the brunt of a lack of maintenance.
Raghavendra B Pachhapur, project lead at NGO ActionAid, said the water quality in Singasandra Lake had been poor for more than a year. “BBMP has allocated a maintenance contract of Rs 22.32 lakh for Singasandra and Somasundara Palya lakes to a contractor in November 2022. Lake maintenance cannot be reduced to cutting grass and cleaning walking paths. They need to maintain inlets and diversion channels. Lake maintenance across Bengaluru is not up to par. The BBMP’s Chief Commissioner should call for a review of lake maintenance.”
Arun Jaggi, an intern with ActionAid, said, “The entrance and exit of the lake are not well maintained. We can see sewage entering the lake. (Express Photo)
“For the past six months, the water quality of the lake has been in category E which is not at all helpful to wildlife. It calls for serious action from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). Forty lakes in Bengaluru have been classified under Category E in June this year. I request the Secretary Member of KSPCB and Chairman of KSPCB to pay attention to the deterioration of water quality in Bengaluru lakes and to act appropriately to stop pollution in the lakes.”
ActionAid intern Arun Jaggi said, “The entrance and exit of the lake are not well maintained. We can see sewage entering the lake. The lake is green which is a bad sign and I haven’t seen any fish in the lake which signifies that the water is polluted. There is waste on the sides of the lake which is a really bad sign. The lake is not well managed.”
For the past 6 months the lake water quality has been in class E which is not helpful at all for the wildlife.
Jaggi was allegedly stopped by security in the lake from taking pictures of the area. “Surprisingly, while I was surveying the lake, the security in charge questioned my presence in a public place. He then proceeded to call the lake’s engineers. After that, the engineer and the security guard sternly asked me to delete all the photos I had taken of the lake. This makes me think that there is a lack of transparency in the lake’s management.
A BBMP official who requested anonymity said, “We will ask the contractor to look into the maintenance issues. Moreover, the public is free to take pictures in the lake. I will look into the problem.”
“The lake is greenish, which is a bad sign,” said Arun Jaggi. “I did not see any fish in the lake, which indicates that the water is polluted.”
Forty lakes in Bengaluru were classified as Category E in June this year.
Giving his insight on the deteriorating state of the lakes, Vijinder Reddy, Co-Founder and CEO of DrinkPrime, said, “In the 1960s, the city had more than 200 lakes that were filled with fresh water to the brim. Bengaluru currently has less than 10 lakes that are clean and contain water that can be used for consumption and other purposes. The same is the case in almost all cities of India. Delhi, Hyderabad, you name it, every city has seen an alarming decline in water bodies having Unfortunately, with 70 percent of water bodies in India polluted, urban lakes face many challenges that threaten their existence.”
Bengaluru currently has less than 10 lakes that are clean and contain water that can be used for consumption and other purposes, says Vijender Reddy.
With the alarming decline in the number of clean and usable lakes, individuals, communities and authorities must take immediate action. By raising awareness, adopting responsible practices, supporting conservation efforts, and actively participating in initiatives, we can work towards preserving these bodies of water. Only through collective efforts and a strong commitment to sustainable practices can we secure a better future, where urban lakes thrive as vital sources of fresh water for generations to come.”
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