Lakes of Bengaluru: BBMP begins rejuvenation of Gowdanakere; activists call desilting process faulty

On May 2, Lake conservationist Raghavendra B Pachhapur registered a formal complaint on BBMP’s Sahaya app and apprised the officials about the dumping of construction and demolition waste.(Express Photo)

Lake conservationist Raghavendra B Pachhapur said that although he has brought the issue to the notice of the BBMP, the officials are yet to act on this. On May 2, he registered a formal complaint on BBMP’s Sahaya app and apprised the officials about the dumping of construction and demolition waste.

Explaining further he said, “Desilted soil contains high levels of nutrients, it needs to be dealt with responsibly. It seems proper planning has not gone into the lake rejuvenation. Not disposing of the desilted soil in time is a mistake. Neglecting it even after bringing to their notice is not a responsible behaviour from BBMP officials. Many consecutive rains have now settled the pollutants back to the lakebed. Unless the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) does a test of the soil and gives a nod, continuing with rejuvenation exercise and spending money further would be a waste exercise. All lake rejuvenation should have prioritised fencing and placed a temporary gate until the rejuvenation exercise is completed,” he added.

Pachhapur pointed out that lake rejuvenation tends to focus on storm water drains (SWD) for rainwater and forgets to harness rainwater from around the adjoining areas directly to the lake.(Express Photo)

On condition of anonymity, a senior engineer from the BBMP lakes department working on the restoration of the lake, told The Indian Express that the civic body will dispose of the silt and fence the lake for security reasons soon. “I am personally looking into the development of the lake. We have received complaints of people throwing garbage into the lake while the restoration is underway. We are almost done desilting of the lake and it will be disposed of responsibly. Due to heavy rains in the past two days, the work has slowed down. We will fence the lake for security reasons and then a walkway around the lake will be constructed. We hope to rejuvenate the lake soon,” he said.

On being asked if the BBMP has plans to construct a sewage treatment plant (STP) near the lake so that the water body receives treated water, the official added, “As of now there is no such plan but in future if a need of an STP arises, we will have it here. Presently, the lakes department has paucity of funds and we are trying to restore the lakes in this limited amount.”

Ram Prasad, co-founder and convener of Friends of Lakes, a citizens’ collective that works on the restoration of lakes, said, “During rejuvenation, the BBMP should put silt and garbage traps in order to arrest silt and garbage from entering the lake. The cleaning of silt and garbage traps should be done regularly. Sedimentation ponds and the wetland should be a part of the rejuvenation. Moreover, they should adhere to the decade-old Justice N K Patil committee report which recommended strategies for the preservation of the lakes in the state to the Karnataka government.”

Pachhapur pointed out that lake rejuvenation tends to focus on storm water drains (SWD) for rainwater and forgets to harness rainwater from around the adjoining areas directly to the lake. “Rainwater harnessing structures needs to be planned as a part of the DPR (detailed project report). It will balance the water quality and boost biodiversity. On a follow-up visit on June 10, I was delighted to sight and count 50 Little Grebes and a White-Breasted Kingfisher in and around the lake,” he said.

In 2017, NGO United Bengaluru under the leadership of the late freedom fighter H S Doreswamy had inspected the Gowdanapalya lake and found that there were major encroachments. As per the Koliwad committee report formed in October 2014 under the chairmanship of former speaker K B Koliwad to look into the encroachment of lakes and storm water drains, three acre of Gowdanapalya lake was encroached by private establishments.