BDA to develop 12 lakes in city

BDA to develop 12 lakes in city

Swathi Shivanand

It will be only for restoration and not ownership

The lakes will be developed using funds from

the JNNURM

LDA yet to formally hand over the lakes to

the BDA

BANGALORE: In yet another effort to conserve lakes in the city, the State Government has decided to hand over 12 lakes to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for their rejuvenation. This is in addition to the 17 lakes that have been given to the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for similar purposes.

The move will not interfere with the proposal to declare lakes as reserve forests and the BDA has been entrusted only with the task of developing the water bodies.

“As the ownership of lakes cannot be changed, after their complete restoration, the BDA will hand them back to the departments which have ownership of the lakes for their maintenance,” P.N. Nayak, Chief Engineer, BDA told The Hindu on Tuesday. Lakes in the State are owned by the Revenue, Minor Irrigation or the Forest Departments.

While the lakes have yet to be formally handed over to the BDA by the Lake Development Authority (LDA), the BDA has decided to call for tenders from consultants to prepare detailed project reports (DPR) regarding specific development activities to be taken up in each of the lakes.

The notification will be issued within this week and about four agencies will be appointed to prepare the DPRs, Mr. Nayak said.

Unlike the prevailing financial model for development of lakes, namely the public-private-partnership (PPP) where lakes are leased to private companies for 15 years, these lakes will most likely be developed using funds from the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), said Mr. Nayak.
Jurisdiction

The lakes to be handed over to the BDA fall under the jurisdiction of the layouts developed by the Authority. They are Jakkur lake, Rachenahalli lake, Venkateshapura lake and Sampigehalli lake in Arkavathy Layout; Kothnur lake in Anjanapura layout; Talaghattapura lake, Konasandra lake and Sompura lake in Banashankari 6th Stage Layout, Mallathahalli lake, Ramsandra lake, Konaghatta lake and Ullalu lake in Vishveshwaraiahnagar layout.

Restoration and development of these water bodies will include removal of silt, creating paths for runoff water to enter the lakes, repairing sluice gates, clearing encroachments wherever found and developing walking space along the lakes.
Monitoring agency

The project reports and any technical or civil work to be undertaken have to be cleared by the Lake Development Authority, the monitoring agency for all lakes in the State.

The BDA has been asked to ensure that in the development process, ecological character of the lakes is retained, their catchment area protected and encroachments prevented.