42 Lakes Have 'Disappeared' In Bengaluru Since 1963, 28 'Swallowed' By BDA, Says Karnataka Govt

The recent floods in Bengaluru had put the spotlight on the encroachment of lakes and their catchment areas, both by government agencies and private individuals.

On Monday Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashok said that 42 lakes have disappeared in Bengaluru so far.

Speaking in the Assembly, Ashok said that since 1963, several buildings and layouts were built on levelled lakes.

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BDA the biggest culprit

According to him the construction of layouts on lakes happened in areas such as Rajajinagar (1963), Koramangala (1965), Dollars Colony (1973), Banashankari (1975), Domlur (1977), HAL-I and II (1978), HSR-I and II (1986), BTM (1995), RV I and II (2001), and Nagarabhavi (2001).

Noting that the lakes in Bengaluru were connected to one another which ensured an easy flow of water, the Revenue Minister said, "Our lakes have the capacity to store 2 to 4 tmc of water and there would have been no question of lakes overflowing if their systems were maintained well."

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Such constructions include the Kempegowda Bus Station, commonly known as Majestic Bus Stand which was built in 1965 on Dharmambudhi Lake.

According to the minister, out of 42 disappeared lakes 28 was "swallowed" by Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) five by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), one is BDA authorised, and seven by encroachers

BDA is accused of filling up 23 lakes with soil and turning them into 3,530 plots.

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Anti-encroachment drive continues in Bengaluru

Following the massive floods which raised questions about the future of India's IT hub, the Karnataka government has undertaken anti-encroachment drives, to clear illegal constructions.

"We have to remove encroachments, but influential people interfere and do politics. We will remove encroachments mercilessly because if we don't take harsh steps, there will be flooding again in Bengaluru," Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday.

"I have ordered an inquiry into the encroachment of lakes and the stormwater drains. It will have a judicial official and two technical experts," Bommai said.

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He said the special task force would see to it that in the next three to four years the SWDs are built properly so that the city would not be flooded.

The Chief Minister further said he has ordered having sluices in major lakes in all the four valleys of Bengaluru - Hebbal valley, Koramangala-Challaghatta Valley and Vrushabhavati Valley.

Free up water bodies: environmentalists

Following the recent floods, environmentalists had blamed the rapid, unplanned development of the city for the deluge and had called on the authorities to immediately free up the waterbodies of encroachments.

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