Revive dying lake, citizens exhort

Revive dying lake, citizens exhort
Deccan HErald

Several lakes have ‘disappeared’ across the City till date. Keen to stop further destruction and the creation of a concrete jungle, a group of 130 residents from Poornaprajna Layout have got together to save at least the lake in their area.

In a letter to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, members of Poornaprajna Residents Welfare Association, said that lorries loaded with sand and garbage, dump the waste regularly into the lake, leading to its slow death. The lake is said to extend from Uttarahalli to Arehalli.

Association President H S Krishnamurthy said, in the letter, that the boundary of the lake, which was filled with water six months ago, has been decreasing day- by-day. “Industries in the vicinity discharge their effluents into the lake. Further, with the underground drainage system in Uttarahalli is far from satisfactory, the sewage from houses are let into the lake,” he explained.

This could percolate to the groundwater and cause health hazards, he feared.

The water from this lake runs along the eastern side of Poornaprajna Layout in the form of a stream. Since it is an open stream, it breeds mosquitoes and other insects. “Fumigation should be done regularly and the water should be taken to the water treatment plant through pipes. Treated water should then be released back into the lake,” he added. Following good rains last year, the lake was full. But today, we cannot see the lake as it is filled with water hyacinth.

In addition, they have also dumped mud on either side of the lake. “There used to be a lot of birds in the lake,” he said. “We want the lake to be restored alongwith a park and a playground for children. We have written letters to the Health Minister, the Chief Secretary, Forest department, Lake Development Authority and even Uttarahalli Gram Panchayat. But there has been no response,” Mr Krishnamurthy said.