BENGALURU: The recommendations of the House committee on encroachment of lakes has been met with severe criticism for compromising on certain aspects to accommodate the real estate sector and certain individuals. Environmental activists have demanded the state to be strict with all encroachments in order to improve living conditions in the city.
Speaking to Express, environmental activist A N Yellappa Reddy said that the House Committee report seems to be compromising with certain recommendations. This appears to have been done to help real estate sector and some encroachers. While the report recommended the state to have a ‘social perspective’ before clearing encroachments, he asked the government to clear all encroachments and accommodate the encroachers elsewhere.
Alleging that the government had ‘slept on’ several such reports in the past, he urged the state to take action against officials who allowed these encroachments under their watch.Environmentalist Suresh Heblikar said though all lake encroachers cannot be evicted in one go, they should be cleared to restore the status of Bengaluru. “Government should provide alternate sites for the people who are living on encroached lake land. Then, efforts should be concentrated on reviving the lakes and rejuvenating the storm water drains via which they were connected,” he said.