City lakes to be privatised

City lakes to be privatised
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Bangalore lakes will be privatised. The Lake Development Authority (LDA) has decided to lease out 11 lakes to private bidders.

Three lakes, including Nagawara lake, Venkayyana Kere on Airport Road and Hebbal lake have already been leased out to private developers. While the LDA says privatisation will help maintain lakes, greens oppose the idea on the grounds that commercial activities near water bodies are against a Supreme Court order.

A top official from LDA told this website’s newspaper 11 lakes would be leased out to private bidders.

“Privatisation of lakes will be on a public private partnership basis. The government alone cannot maintain a diverse lake population in and around Bangalore. The privatisaion will bring revenue to the government,” he said.

“We will not allow permanent structures to be erected during the lease period. Leasing out lakes will not harm them, instead it will help us maintain lakes,” he added.

”By leasing out Hebbal lake the government will get Rs 72 lakh per annum. The Oberoi Group will invest Rs 16 crore on Hebbal lake,” he added.

But ecologists in Bangalore have a different view on this. According to Rohan Desouza, Co-ordinator, Environment Support Group, Hasiru Usiru, privatisation of lakes is against a Supreme Court verdict.

The Supreme Court has ruled against commercialisation of any tank area.

“We are opposing this scheme being undertaken by the LDA. The lease owner will put a fence around the lake and charge an entry fee. Lakes and tanks are public spaces and therefore their access cannot be denied or limited to certain sections of the public.

“This goes against the very basic freedoms of a citizen in a democratic country,” he said.

“Once these lakes are given on 15-year leases to commercial entities, they can set up restaurants and offer water sports. This is very damaging and can destroy the eco system of the lake,” he added.

The LDA has now invited environmentalists to be part of its Lake Protection Committee (LPC).

“The committee will take suggestions from the committee and implement them,” said an LDA official.