BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court has directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to implement the recommendations of the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) concerning Arehalli, Kamakshi Palya and Tavarekere lakes. A division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Sachin Shankar Magadum passed the order after perusing the Volume-9 of NEERI’s report containing restoration plans for these three lakes.
In its report, NEERI has observed that the restoration plans are the basic plans and detailed restoration plans for these three lakes will be given in Phase-II report, which will include the master plan for each lake. On Arehalli Lake, the BBMP counsel submitted that fencing around the lake would be taken up. He stated that a provision had to be made in the BBMP budget of 2021-22. He also submitted that the work of dewatering of the lake before desilting and removal of superficial sediment up to a depth of 3 metres would be undertaken.
The Bench directed the BBMP to consider involving the residents nearby in the work of removal of superficial sediment. BBMP should ensure that there are no encroachments made on the lake area, the Bench added. As regards Kamakshi Palya Lake, the BBMP counsel expressed some reservations on taking up the work of deepening the lake on the ground that the area was too small. In reply, the Bench directed the BBMP to seek NEERI’s opinion on this.
As far as NEERI’s recommendation regarding controlling the discharge of effluents into the lake, the Bench directed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to take immediate steps to stop it.
On Tavarekere Lake, the BBMP counsel said that NEERI’s recommendation of removing the unwanted silt up to a depth of 2 metres and the work of deepening of the lake would be undertaken.