BENGALURU: Parts of over 1,500 lakes in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts and BBMP limits were encroached and the authorities have managed to clear unauthorised structures in over 1,100 lakes.
Revenue Minister R Ashoka on Wednesday informed the Council that they will continue the drive to clear encroachments in all lakes. “In Bengaluru Urban, 236 acres in 114 lakes were recovered in the last two months. We have taken up the work on boundary trench, fencing and planting saplings along the lake boundary,” he said.
He said in the BBMP limits, they had done a survey of 160 lakes and found that parts of 148 lakes were encroached. Encroachments are cleared in 12 lakes and the drive will continue, he added.
Responding to N Appaji Gowda’s question, Ashoka said though there is no provision to give khata, local bodies have given the documents to people who built structures on such lands and are even collecting taxes. In such cases, notices are being issued and after inquiry, action will be taken to clear encroachments, he said.
Ashoka said, 25 years back, Bengaluru Urban was home to 837 lakes and that has now come down to 705. The number of lakes in Bengaluru Rural district, BBMP and Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) limits are 710, 204 and five, respectively. The court has directed to clear unauthorized constructions within 30 m from the lake boundary,” he said.