State has to protect lakes: High Court

State has to protect lakes: High Court

Staff Reporter

Petitioner says sewage is being let into lakes killing the water bodies

Official appointed to monitor lake development activities by holding bimonthly meetings

BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court has directed the State Government to protect the water bodies in the State and appointed the member-secretary of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) to monitor lake development activities taken up by different agencies by holding bimonthly meetings with them.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran, and Justice Mohan Shantanagouder passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition by B. Krishna Bhat seeking a direction to preserve and protect the water bodies in Karnataka.

The petitioner said sewage was being let into lakes and this was killing the water body. He also said that other steps are needed to save the water bodies. The Bench disposed of the petition and asked the KSLSA member-secretary to hold bimonthly meetings with the agencies involved in the protection of the lakes and monitor the progress.
Adjourned

The same Bench adjourned further hearing of a petition by Environmental Support Group (ESG) and Mr. Leo Saldanha questioning the privatisation of some of the lakes of Bangalore. The petitioners questioned the legal framework under which the privatisation of Agara, Hebbal and Nagawara lakes were taken up. They said on June 26, 1985, the State Government constituted an expert committee under the chairmanship of Lakshma Rau to suggest measures to save the existing water bodies in Bangalore. On July 10, 2002, the State Government accepted all the recommendations of the Lakshman Rau Committee except those pertaining to the Srinivagulu (Jakkarayanakere-Jakkasandra) lake and Bilekanahallai lake as they had already been breached and the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had already formed layouts.

They said the State set up a Lake Development Authority on July 10, 2002 to preserve and protect lakes in and around Bangalore. However, the LDA had recently decided to privatise some of the lakes and the beneficiaries of this policy are hoteliers and builders.

While some of the builders had already gone ahead with constructing buildings adjacent to the lakes which were leased to them, others had already started dredging operations without taking the permission of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.

The petitioners urged the court to stay the notifications relating to the privatisation of the lakes. On its part, the Government filed a counter.

A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice, P.D. Dinakaran, and Justice Mohan Shantanagouder adjourned further hearing of the case.