BENGALURU: A lake, which has become dry and is being treated as a dump yard, is now on the verge of being lost. Halanayakanahalli Lake, spread across 78.97 hectares, near Sarjapur Road, is dying due to official apathy. The locals say their complaints since 2014 have fallen on deaf ears.The lake, also referred to as Chikkanahalli lake, is maintained by the Minor Irrigation Department. It falls under three survey numbers — Halanayakanahalli Survey number 67, Chikkanayakanahalli village survey number 7 and Chikkanahalli village survey number 12.
The locals have been complaining all these years about the lake turning into a dump yard where garbage and construction materials are being dumped. The catchment area of the lake has now been converted into a makeshift road.Shadab Lari, a resident of Doddakannelli area, said: “I stay 500 metres away from the lake and like me, all others in the vicinity are seeing it die a gradual death. The inlet and culverts to the lake are blocked. The lake now looks like a barren piece of land. We have complained to the department many times, but nothing has been done about it.”
The locals in 2014, again in 2018 and in 2019 had approached the department pointing about the encroachment in the lake bed. But that has also not been addressed. They say they have submitted many signature petitions also to the department, which the officials have acknowledged with a seal and stamp. But nothing has been done on the ground.
Also in 2018, a committee had been formed, headed by noted environmentalist and former IFS officer A N Yellappa Reddy, which visited the lake and asked the department officials to take inputs from environmentalists and from the Azim Premji Foundation and improve the lake. But again to no avail.Avinash Alur, Executive engineer, Minor Irrigation Department, said: “There is water in the lake, but it is at dead storage level.
A portion of the lake is encroached upon. Our people have approached the revenue department for identification and demarcation of the exact extent of encroachment. Once it is cleared, the lake will be fenced. Survey is yet to start.”But Minor Irrigation Minister J C Madhuswamy is not convinced. He said that he will look into the issue to save the water body and take action against erring officials.