BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s only bird conservation reserve, Yelahanka-Puttenahalli Lake, is in a state of neglect. Untreated sewage flows into the lake through rajakaluves and garbage is strewn around the lake bed, emitting a foul smell.
This is the condition of the lake despite orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to protect the water body, and the lake being declared a protected site. Members of the Yelahanka-Puttenahalli Lake and Bird Conservation Trust who approached the NGT, pointed out the violations and said they will apprise the court of the lake’s status during the hearing scheduled later this month.
Members of the Trust said that without obtaining permission, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) started sending untreated sewage into a treated water body by digging up the walkway. The rajakaluve connecting upstream water bodies emptied sewage into the lake.
Trust chairperson KS Sangunni said that in 2024, the matter was raised before the NGT. The court had immediately ordered the civic body to stop the flow of sewage into the lake. The erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike said a diversion pipeline would be constructed in the rajakaluve to divert the flow of sewage, but this has still not happened.
The Forest department, the custodian of the lake, also expressed helplessness over the situation. “Despite court orders and repeated notices to BWSSB and Greater Bengaluru Authority, nothing has happened. There has been no response,” said Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban, Ravindra Kumar.
GBA officials, not wanting to be quoted, said, “Work on construction of the diversion channel has started. It is for BWSSB to stop the flow of sewage.”
BBMP and BWSSB had submitted a request to the Forest department, seeking permission and explaining the need for laying pipelines through the lake area.
They reasoned that there is no place to construct the diversion channel and storm water drains are blocked. The forest department gave permission with a series of conditions, the highlight being that sewage should not flow into the lake, explained a forester.
Under Section 36-A of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, Yelahanka-Puttenahalli Lake, spread across 36 acres, was declared a bird conservation reserve on April 29, 2015, with the aim to protect the avian species. The lake then recorded the presence of 400 bird species listed under Schedule 1 and 2 of the Act. Their number has now fallen to less than 200. Birds only roost on the islands, but do not feed in the lake, due to poor quality of water and aquatic life.
With the help of locals, citizen welfare groups and experts from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Gandhi Krishi Vignan Kendra (GKVK), the Forest department had rejuvenated the lake in 2014, and also constructed a sewage treatment plant. The lake gets water overflowing from upstream lakes like Attur and Veerasagar. It connects downstream to Yelahanka, Jakkur and Rachenahalli lakes before joining the Hebbal Valley flowing eastwards.