Rejuvenated at a cost of Rs. 108.84 cr., nobody wants them
Eleven lakes rejuvenated by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) in 2010 at a cost of Rs. 108.84 crore have again turned into sites of neglect.
The Lake Development Authority (LDA) had entrusted the task of rejuvenating the lakes that were maintained by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), to BDA in 2007. The BDA was to then hand them back to BBMP for maintenance.
The BDA completed a survey of these lakes, cleared encroachments and took up rejuvenation work, including desilting of tank beds, fencing, providing facilities like walker’s path and a sewage treatment plant, in 2010, But, the BBMP now refuses to take over the maintenance of the lakes citing ownership issues.
BBMP Commissioner M. Lakshminarayan told The Hindu that neither BBMP nor BDA owned the lakes and that the Departments of Revenue, Minor Irrigation and Major Irrigation were responsible for them. He suggested that the BDA give back the lakes to the government and allow it to take a call.
Meanwhile, the lakes are in a state of neglect. A BDA official feared that there would be attempts to encroach upon the lakes again. When contacted, A.N. Yellappa Reddy, who headed the BDA’s Lake Development Advisory Committee, said, “There are no watch and ward officers. In certain cases, miscreants have made away with the fencing. The lakes have turned back into dens of anti-social activities.”
(The Hindu)
