BENGALURU: With incidents of rampant drilling of borewells near lakes and BBMP officials turning a blind eye to the drilling of commercial borewells in lake buffer zones, lake activists are concerned about the water bodies potentially drying up. Medahalli residents highlighted the alleged drilling of borewells at Yele Mallapa Shetty Lake and asked officials to look into it.
Similarly, activists have alleged that a person, identified as Srinivas, is allegedly extracting water from the Vibhutipura Lake buffer zone, without any permission and ward engineers have deliberately not filed any case against him. A resident from Medahalli, said, “We have noticed a borewell being drilled near Yele Mallappa Shetty lake premises. The BWSSB and BBMP need to check if this is permitted. The borewell seems to be commercial. In KR Puram and Mahadevapura, several illegal borewells have been dug by construction mafia, but BWSSB officials come and just give warnings and impose petty fine.”
A resident of Basavanagar in Vignana Nagar, KR Puram, said there is a commercial borewell in the buffer zone of Vibhuthipura lake. A political leader has rented the place to drill a borewell and supply water for commercial purposes.
“Bescom has supplied power, while BWSSB officials have kept mum and BBMP ward engineers, who are supposed to take action, have shown little courage to act against this lawlessness,” alleged an activist.
Reacting, BWSSB Chairman Ram Parsat Manohar said they are working out provisions to act against illegal borewells.