Chinnappanahalli Lake gets new lease of life

Chinnappanahalli Lake gets new lease of life

BBMP takes up fencing, desilting, and building of
embankment for Rs1.25 crore

DNA News. Bangalore
Chinnappanahalli Lake, near Marathahalli, is finally getting a new lease of life.
After several years of relentless campaigns by the residents and local authorities to get back the lake, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has taken up the development work at an estimated cost of Rs1.25 crore.
A resident of Chinnappanahalli, who refused to be identified, said that a hollow brick manufacturing unit had come up near the lake.
"The unit has been dumping waste into the lake for the past eight years. The High Court has stayed the demolition of the factory. The unit has to be razed first to develop the lake," a resident said.
Venkatesh, tahsildar of Bangalore East, said efforts were being made to recover the encroached land. "The encroachers have got a stay order from the court and we have filed an affidavit to vacate the land," he said.
Underlining that work to rejuvenate the lake started three months ago. A BBMP official, on condition of anonymity, said Palike officials had fenced the rest of the lake to stop further encroachment.
The first phase of the work would be completed in three months. This will comprise fencing, desilting and building of embankment. The second phase will take three months from the time of completion of the first phase.
"Once the case is resolved, we will clear all encroachments and rejuvenate the lake. The BBMP has already started developing the lake," the tahsildar said.
He said many buildings had come up on the lake bed. Of this, nine were demolished and the owner of one house has got a stay order from the court. The authorities were making all efforts to stop the encroachment of the lake.