Lakes are our lung spaces; we must save them

Lakes are our lung spaces; we must save them, say experts
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Be green, save blue goes the saying. The city lakes today are choked with sewer and garbage. But there is hope, say experts. Every one from politicians, bureaucrats, citizens have a role to play. Here is more on what they can do to help our lakes recover:

CREATE AWARENESS, says Central Ground Water Board Regional Director C.S. Ramasesha.

We have managed to convert the Vrishabhavathi river on Mysore Road into a drain. Will it possible for a rapidly changing city to save its lakes when a river was converted to a sewer? I don’t want to say NO. It is possible to conserve what we hold dearest if we ensure that awareness reaches all.

GET THE COMMUNITY INVOLVED, says environment scientist and engineer Ramanand, who works for JSYS.

Lakes are the lung spaces of the city. Bangalore had so many lakes in the past; nobody really knows why they were neglected. All we have now is housing colonies out of tank areas.

What has to be done is to recover what is lost and get a community feel into the ‘‘lake saving’’ activity. If citizens do not participate in saving lakes things cannot improve. The citizens should be responsible enough to find time to watch over the conservation process of what rightfully belongs to them.

NETWORK OF PEOPLE AND AGENCIES IS NECESSARY, says University of Agricultural Sciences chief programme co-coordinator of tank conservation N. Nagaraja.

Cauvery water is not enough sustain the city’s growing needs. We need to look at lake development to recharge ground water for future requirements. The forest department can be involved to plant saplings around the lake. They will avoid silting around the tank bed. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board should make sure that drainage pipes do not flow through the lake. If everyone joins hands towards saving lakes it helps them.

NO SPORTS ON LAKES, say hydrologists, N. Sooryanaryana and Mohammed of the Central Ground Water Board.

Lakes should not be given to private enterprises to be converted in to amusement parks. This simply brings in a lot of pollution through garbage disposal and water sports might pollute the water, which could otherwise be used for drinking in a locality. Instead, lakes should be parks for developing the flora and fauna of the city.