Research institute asked to stop construction near lake

Research institute asked to stop construction near lake

The Hindu

BANGALORE: The Lake Development Authority has issued a notice to the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) to stop construction activity taken up by it on the periphery of the Rachenahalli Lake, off Jakkur.

On a complaint by Atree, an environment group, that the centre has illegally taken up construction work on the lakebed, officials of the Lake Development Authority, the body that looks into preservation of water bodies in the city, inspected the area on Monday and issued a notice to JNCASR.

The Chief Forest Officer, B.K. Singh, who also inspected the area, said: "We have told the centre to suspend construction work till the controversy is resolved."

JNCASR officials said that around 18 acres of the Rachenahalli Lake was allotted to the centre to expand its facilities. They have commenced construction of a compound wall in the area, the officials said.

The officials said construction has been taken up on the area marked as revenue land by the Government and not on the lakebed.

In the present case there is no record to show the exact extent of the lake. The Byatarayanapura City Municipal Corporation officials estimate the lake to cover an area of around 40 acres while local residents claim it to be as vast as 100 acres.