BENGALURU: Six years after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued directions, and four years after two reminders were sent to the state government, Bellandur and Varthur lakes are yet to be fully rejuvenated or desilted.
The two lakes had once made Bengaluru global news due to severe pollution, frothing and even incidents of fire on the water surface. Frustrated by the slow pace of work and the tendency of state agencies to shift blame, experts, including former members of the NGT-appointed committee, are now seeking a detailed account of expenditure and progress. They are also preparing to approach the NGT again to expedite the work and safeguard the lakes.
On January 15, experts and local residents from areas surrounding the lakes met Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Commissioner P Manivannan and Chairman N A Haris, submitting a memorandum seeking urgent action. The BDA is the custodian of both lakes. Experts highlighted unscientific inlet designs that allow sewage to enter stormwater drains and flow into the lakes. They also pointed out that silt continues to enter the lakes, undermining the desilting work carried out so far.
“There is a lack of financial transparency and accountability, particularly concerning the Rs 576 crore kept in BBMP’s escrow account for rejuvenation of the two lakes. The deterioration in water quality is evident from the spread of water hyacinth and other invasive species. Shrinking rajakaluve widths and ongoing encroachments remain major concerns,” said Jagadish Reddy, lake warden of Bellandur and Varthur lakes.
Prof T V Ramachandra of the Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, and a former committee member, said that while some desilting has taken place at Bellandur Lake, work has stalled due to a shortage of funds. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is yet to supply treated water to the lakes. Illegal colonies around the lakes have not been cleared despite court orders, and the Minor Irrigation Department has failed to comply with High Court directions to remove a pipeline passing through Varthur Lake. “The government must release a white paper detailing the work undertaken and the money spent,” he said.
Another former committee member, U V Singh, said work slowed significantly after the committee was dissolved. “As the assigned tasks remain incomplete, the money spent so far has effectively been wasted. The work must be comprehensively reviewed and completed. These two lakes are at the tail end of Bengaluru’s watershed, making them critically important,” he said.
Former committee members also pointed out that BBMP and BWSSB have failed to prevent sewage from slums, stormwater drains and underground drains from entering the lakes, despite the construction of diversion channels.
BWSSB engineer Rahul Priyadarshi said: “No treated water from sewage treatment plants (STPs) is entering the two lakes. It is being diverted downstream to the Dakshina Pinakini and Kolar. We have built STPs with a total capacity of 458 MLD, of which a 248 MLD STP at Bellandur Lake is being upgraded. Another 90 MLD STP has been set up at Bellandur Ammanikere. A 25 MLD STP at Varthur Lake is yet to be constructed.”
BDA Engineer Member H R said the authority wrote to BBMP in April 2025 to take over Varthur Lake, but BBMP refused, citing financial constraints. BBMP has also demanded the construction of a walkway and bund, which is against committee recommendations. In the case of Bellandur Lake, 20 per cent of desilting remains pending and is expected to be completed by May 2026, after which the lake will also be handed over to BBMP.