Lakes of Bengaluru: Once a symbol of pristine environment, Hosakerehalli lake cries for rejuvenation

Last week Horticulture Minister N Munirathna sought Rs 50 crore for the development of the lake. (Express photo by Jithendra M.)

Activist Ram Kumar B K said, “The lake’s condition has worsened in the past three years. This is one of largest and most beautiful lakes but badly maintained. The waste collected from houses and poultries is dumped in the lake. I have even documented the dumping of medical waste.”

Kumar said activists would probably move court by the end of the year to get the lake fenced and to clear the encroachments. “Untreated sewage from Saptagiri Layout enters the lake. The borewells dug on the lake bed should be removed as well. The lake restoration funds are not being used for the purpose,” he said.

More than thousand migratory birds were found in the kae in the past decade, according to Kumar., who is of the view that the lake should be turned into a bird sanctuary. “In the past we had approached the BBMP to deploy marshals at the lake so that nobody dumps garbage but even this did not happen,” he said.

Seven acres of the lake have been encroached on. (Express photo by Jithendra M.)

The Comptroller and Auditor General stated in a September 2021 report, “In Vrishabhavathi valley, the drain passing along the border of the Hosakerehalli lake was remodelled and diverted to flow through the lake, thereby reducing the area of the lake.”

Last week local residents and the non-profit organisation Jhatkaa.org hosted a clean-up and awareness activity at the lake.

“Unsegregated garbage ends up in the landfills, leading to garbage burning and, thus creating air pollution. This in the long run affects our health and creates unsafe spaces for citizens. But if we citizens come together, anything or everything can be solved. As the citizens of Namma City, we must segregate the waste at the source to keep our parks and lakes safe spaces,” Chiku Agarwal of Jhatkaa.org said, adding that after the clean-up, BBMP marshals were levying fines on people found dumping waste.

Kiran Rao, a local resident, also said garbage was the major problem and that the lack of fencing made the lake vulnerable. The beautiful walking path around the lake also has garbage littered all over it. “Since last week, after a clean-up drive was carried out, marshals are seen imposing fines on those found to be dumping the garbage,” Rao said.

Last week local residents and the non-profit organisation Jhatkaa.org hosted a clean-up and awareness activity at the lake. (Express photo by Jithendra M.)

BBMP special commissioner (estates) V Ram Prasath Manohar said the civic body was awaiting funds to rejuvenate the local body. “We have planned to restore this lake. We are awaiting funds from the government to carry out rejuvenation,” Manohar said.

The lake was initially maintained by the forest department and was handed over to the BBMP in 2010. In 2011 the Bangalore Development Authority took over the lake’s custody, but it was handed over back to the civic body in 2019.

Last week Horticulture Minister N Munirathna sought Rs 50 crore for the development of the lake. The minister requested Rs 100 crore to restore the Hosakerehalli and Kenchanahalli lakes in March 2021. However, only Rs 10 crore was allotted but no work was taken up at either lake.