BENGALURU: The 500-acre Yele Mallappa Shetty Lake in East Bengaluru, which was under the Minor Irrigation (MI) Department, will soon be transferred to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). According to engineers of the department, the reason for the lake’s transfer is ‘fund-crunch’. At least Rs 20 crore is needed for the lake’s restoration, security, fencing and annual maintenance.
“Based on the direction of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), we have started chain-link fencing of the lake for 9 km. So far, 7 km of the lake area has been fenced. An approach road to an apartment complex passes through the lake and officials are being arm-twisted by a builder. Hence, a decision has been taken to transfer the lake to GBA as it has manpower and machinery for the water body’s upkeep. Correspondence has begun in this regard,” said an engineer.
He said the process began in June and will be completed by August. However, a senior lake engineer from the corporation stated that the department should share the financial burden with the civic body. This is in view of the completion of the civic body’s budget.
The NGT pulled up the department after activist Jagan Kumar highlighted issues concerning the lake and its habitat. “Debris and garbage dumped near the lake cause sludge and this seeps into the water body. Besides, sewage from the STP also enters the lake,” he said.
Parts of the lake property have already been encroached. Its buffer zones are being encroached now. Residential layouts and liquor shops have come up on the periphery of the lake, said Kumar, who has petitioned the Green Bench for implementation of its order.
Kumar said on the pretext of seeking an approach road to a burial ground, the builders’ lobby is trying its best to have the road built to unauthorised layouts around the lake.
Balaji Ragottam, a lake activist, said if developed, the lake will emerge as the second bird sanctuary in the city. Birdwatchers have recorded species such as Northern Shoveler, Egret, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Coot, Eurasian Moorhen, Little Grebe, Grey-headed Swamphen, Pied Kingfisher, Asian Green Bee-eater and Golden Oriole there.
