Lakes of Bengaluru: Once restored, lack of maintenance is taking Vijinapura lake back to square one

Residents staying in the vicinity of the lake say that till a few years back, the lake was in bad condition. (Express photo by Jithendra M.)

N Prasad, who lives near the lake, said, “The major issues here were dumping of garbage and construction debris on the lake bed. The lake was surrounded by dark spots and had no security. The BBMP was then forced to carry out restoration. Presently, the fence around the lake is cut at several places and vehicles are parked inside the lake’s premises.” Prasad added that Herons, Cormorants and Eurasians can often be spotted around the lake.

Aam Aadmi Party leader and a volunteer at the lake, Sivaraman H said that the lake needs to be maintained. “The waterbody definitely needs maintenance. Garbage is strewn in and around the lake and even the saplings we planted a few years ago are not being maintained properly. Moreover, I have also demanded the BBMP to carry out a tree census not only around the lake but also in the entire Vijinapura locality.” In 2016, residents gathered at the lake and planted 150 saplings.

He added, “In the ward committee meeting scheduled next week I will raise the issues regarding the lake. Although we have spread awareness programmes around the importance of the lake and have asked people not to immerse idols in the lake during the festivals, it has not been effective. These issues need to be addressed.”

Agreeing to the demands of the residents, the BBMP started the restoration of the lake in 2017.(Express photo by Jithendra M.)

Lake volunteer Rita, who also teaches at a school in the vicinity of the lake, said, “The BBMP restored the lake a few years ago but the condition of the waterbody deteriorated again. However, the civic body has once again started cleaning the lake and its premise.”