State to recover 3 leased lakes in city

State to recover 3 leased lakes in city
BY CHANDRASHEKAR G.
BENGALURU







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Treating lake water is the only economically available solution. Tapping a river is expensive and involves political will too
Recreation activi ties near lakes may become a thing of the past if the government has its way.

The state government has been considering a proposal to treat and recycle lake water to tackle the water crisis in the city.

Minister in charge of Bengaluru district R. Ashok told Deccan Chronicle that leased lakes will be taken back by the government from private bodies.

Three lakes, which have been leased under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, will be taken back by terminating the lease period, he said.

The three lakes — Nagavara, Hebbal and Vengayyanakere — have been leased for 15 years to offer recreation to the people. Nagavara Lake and Vengayyanakere offer twoseater to 15-seater boat rides, jet skiing, speedboats, floating restaurants, boat restaurants, wave pool, bumper boating, leisure boating and floating a coffee shop for the family, he said.

Discussions will be held with legal experts for taking back the lakes, he added.

BWSSB has been directed to prepare blueprints for installing treatment plants at lakes to make the water potable.

As a first step, BWSSB has invited tenders for recycling water in tow lakes – Nagavara and Bellandur Lake — at a cost of Rs 280 crore.

Nagavara lake has the potential to produce 50 Million Litres per Day (MLD) of treated water while Bellandur is capable of generating 60 MLD, said sources in BWSSB.

“The treated water from Nagavara lake would be supplied to layouts coming up along Bellary Road and parts of newly added areas while Mahadevpura and Bommanahalli would be fed with treated water from Bellandur lake,” the source added.

Lake water and sewerage water would be subjected to treatment using the latest technology.

Treating lake water is the only economically available solution. Tapping a river is expensive and involves political will too, the source added.

The water would be pumped to ultra-filtration treatment plants. Through various processes at the treatment plant colour, odour, micro-organisms, bacteria, virus and pathogens would be removed. Water would be disinfected and left open to sunlight for ultra violet rays.