Dying lake cries for help

Dying lake cries for help

Now that it has been handed over to the BBMP, will the Puttenahalli lake get a long overdue facelift?

PAPIYA BHATTACHARYA



As Bangalore has changed from a beautiful city dotted with lakes and groves of flowering trees into a hot and dusty city with huge steel-and-glass buildings and roads full of vehicles, one of the casualties to development is the Puttenahalli lake at Yelahanka.
The lake covers a sprawling 13.77 hectares. It lies along the Doddaballapur Road, which is now a very busy highway with the advent of the Bengaluru International Airport, and is home to 49 species of birds. It also attracts migratory birds from the Himalayas and Siberia.
A huge amount of sewage and waste is being dumped into the lake every day from the neighbouring shops, hotels and the Karnataka Housing Board Colony, shrinking its area. In addition, the Bescom authorities invariably do the pruning of the few trees that exist on the periphery of the lake in such a manner that some of them die, resulting in an increasing expanse of the lake being exposed to the public. The exposed part is being used as part urinal and part garbage dump by the local residents.
ABORTED CLEANUP
In 2005, a local newspaper had reported that the lake would get a facelift and clean-up. Sewage would be diverted from the lake and recycled at the treatment plant in Yelahanka. But that plan has not taken off.
In 2007, it was reported that the lake would be converted into a bird reserve and would have watch towers, trekking paths, guides to identify birds for tourists and other basic facilities. It was to be made a protected area, according to the then principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) Avani Kumar Varma.
Earlier, the lake was under Lake Development Authority (LDA) and was listed for further development for commercial purposes under the Public-Private Partnership Model.
Three months ago, A M Annaiah, former deputy conservator of forests (DCF), Bangalore Urban said that a proposal had been submitted to the state government to declare the lake as protected property under the Wildlife Protection Act.
BBMP’S BABY
And now, 17 lakes have been handed over to the BBMP for maintenance, including the Puttenahalli lake.
Viswanath, MLA of Yelahanka constituency, says that Rs 3 crore has been sanctioned by the BBMP to spruce up the lake. This is a part of a project where four lakes at Attur, Allalasandra, Puttenahalli and Yelahanka will be developed. The Puttenahalli Lake will have a walking path around it; a children’s park and the island inside will be modified while sewage flow into the lake will be stopped as part of an 18-month project.
Rajkumar Srivastav, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bangalore Urban, says, “the lakes were handed over because the forest department is short of funds and development of each lake costs about Rs 4-5 crore.”
He said a PIL has been filed by an environment support group and the High Court is seriously concerned about the fate of such lakes. “There ought to be a consensus about which model can be followed for the development of these lakes. We are hoping something positive will come out of this effort.”
PARK NO SOLUTION
Dr Aravind Madhyastha, from Ashoka Trust for Ecology and Environment (ATREE) says that polluted water in lakes affects bird visits because they cannot fish in dirty waters. At the same time, he says, too many people and noisy behaviour in parks made around lakes may also deter birds. It remains to be seen, which of the lesser evils the authorities adopt.
Dileep Kumar, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF), when told about the state of the lake and the dumping of sewage and garbage, said he would look into the matter.
The author is a freelance writer and teaches part-time at the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media, Bangalore
FACTFILE
In focus PUTTENAHALLI LAKE
Location YELAHANKA
Area 14 HECTARES
Home to 49 SPECIES OF BIRDS
Visitors AVIAN GUESTS FROM THE HIMALAYAS AND SIBERIA
Threats FROM GARBAGE DUMPING AND OTHER CITY LIFE ILLS