Yediyur Lake

While disappearance and privatization of Bangalore’s lakes have been issues of concern for the citizens for a long time, there are a couple of lakes that are sporting a cleaner, soothing look and are also doubling up as ideal haunts to relax. The Yediyur lake in Basavanagudi even has a few migratory birds gliding around and a well-manicured park.
However, there are some issues that are still lingering. Plastic waste near the banks, for one. Though the water appears clean, a closer look will show you a filthy froth around the bank. Plus, of course, the nowcustomary plastic bottles and sachets.
However, the residents are ready to skip these minor hitches by looking at the bigger picture. According to them, it is one of the well-maintained lakes in the city, that’s increasingly being identified with many dying water bodies. “Everyday, I go to the lake for morning walk. It is clean with hardly any garbage on the pathway. There are adequate trash cans. People come here every
morning for yoga and sometimes just to relax in the fresh air. I think it is our responsibility also to dispose waste properly without dirtying the lake,’’ says Vinod, a resident of Yediyur.
Residents who have been living in the area for long say that the lake was cleaner 15 to 20 years ago. “Yes, the lake is well maintained but I have seen some people dropping household waste into it. After the water level was raised around five years ago, the BBMP is taking care of it but I think the water can be cleaner,’’ says G Ramesh, who has been living in the locality for the past 20 years.
According to the assistant engineer of BBMP ward 59 R Madhu, deweeding (a procedure of removing weeds from the lake) is being done every month and the muck from the idols immersed is being removed from the immersion tank. A ward grant of approximately Rs 30 lakh is being utilized for special improvement of the Yediyur lake. The improvement drive will cover raising of the compound wall as well as sprucing up of the park’s pathway. For regular maintenance, the horticulture wing of the BBMP spends about Rs 5 lakh, every year.