Photos of ‘road project’ on Hosakerehalli lake: BBMP claims restoration work is on; clearance not obtained, says KTCDA official

However, officials from the Karnataka Tank Conservation Development Authority (KTCDA) confirmed that the BBMP has not obtained clearance to carry out restoration works. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the development work of any lake or tank needs to be cleared by the KTCDA. “The BBMP has not taken our clearance. Our technical team will inspect the work being undertaken at the lake,” a KTCDA official said.

Last year, the BBMP forest cell took strong objection to the illegal felling of 10 trees on the banks of Hosakerehalli Lake. Officials from the forest cell said its permission was not sought before the trees were chopped.

Spread across 59.36 acres, Hosakerehalli lake receives untreated sewage from a stormwater drain (SWD) and sees continuous dumping of garbage and construction debris. Out of the total extent of the lake, seven acres have been encroached.

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

The forest department was the custodian of the lake till 2010. The Karnataka government handed over the custody of the lake to BBMP and in 2011 the lake was transferred to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). In 2019, the lake was again handed over to the BBMP.