BENGALURU: Subramanyapura lake in Uttarahalli is set to get a fresh lease of life with Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) taking up rejuventaion work.The move comes just two days after the lake’s rejuvenation was discussed by officials of various civic agencies and residents. The meeting on Wednesday was called after complaints of frothing in the lake had been lodged.At the meeting, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) had said it had tested water samples from the lake, and categorised it in the ‘E’ bracket, meaning it was fit only for irrigation and industrial purposes.
As part of the rejuvenation work, a small part of the bund around the lake was broken on Thursday night to drain out water from the lake into a storm water drain.
A BBMP official in charge of the lake said the `2.8 crore project was funded by a state government grant and would take a year to be completed.Speaking about the project, the official said, “Everything has been finalised, the project only has to be sanctioned by the government. We will undertake the preparatory works now.We have to construct a drain beside the lake, identify all the inlets and clean the water.”
The official said the project involves desilting the lake, removal of slush, construction of a sewage line to prevent sewage from entering the water body, replacement of water inlets with those which are fitted with arresting mechanism to trap silt and floating debris from storm water drain, construction of foot bridges wherever people walk over water inlets and other facilities to make the lake surroundigs suitable
for walkers and joggers,such as a walking path, a toilet and a room for a security guard.
The Lake Development Authority had earlier stated that until the slum which had encroached on the lake bed was cleared, the restoration work couldn’t begin. However, the BBMP official said residents of the slum would be relocated to a quarters built nearby. He said the relocation was being carried out only to facilitate the lake’s restoration. He added that if encroachment by private builders was found, it would be demolished in one stroke.
Members of the organisation United Bengaluru, including senior freedom fighter H S Doreswamy and corporator of the ward concerned, will inspect the lake on Saturday.