BENGALURU: Residents of Sadashivnagar and environmental activists initiated “Save Sankey Tank” campaign on Sunday to raise concerns over the deteriorating condition of Sankey Tank, alleging sewage inflow, blocked rainwater inlets, concretisation and ecological degradation at the iconic lake.
The residents said the lake’s water levels has drastically reduced despite heavy rainfall in Bengaluru last year. The depletion exposed drains inside the lake, making sewage inflow clearly visible.
Shilpa Jetti, a resident, said they have been noticing the water level declining for several years, but it became more visible over the last five months. She alleged that sewage water was entering the lake through drains.
“There are 11 inlets connected to the lake, but we do not see rainwater entering it anymore. Instead, sewage water is flowing in,” she alleged. The obstruction of rainwater inlets is one of the major reasons for the water level dropping, she said.
She expressed concern over ongoing concretisation and cutting of trees around the lake. She alleged that a recent tender had reportedly proposed cutting nearly 50 trees near the lake area.
Deepak Jangda, a resident of Sadashivnagar for over four decades, said the issue worsened over the past year and claimed that despite heavy rain in Bengaluru, Sankey Tank failed to fill up.
He alleged that rainwater that once naturally flowed into the lake is no longer reaching it. “We are seeing fish dying in the lake now. The lake is severely neglected,” he said.
Dr Manu Jagadish, who has been birdwatching at the lake every Sunday for years, said the present condition of the lake is unprecedented in his experience of over five decades.
He claimed that migratory birds, including great cormorant that were regularly spotted near the lake until 2022, have disappeared in recent years. “At least 36 birds and 23 nests used to be documented by birdwatchers. Since 2022, they have stopped coming. Ecological changes are clearly affecting biodiversity around the lake,” he rued.
Dr Jagadish further alleged that construction debris and concrete blocks from previous redevelopment works are dumped into the lake. With the water level receding, these concrete blocks have now become visible.
Residents demanded immediate measures to stop sewage inflow, clear blocked rainwater inlets and remove debris from the lake bed. They also urged authorities to restore the natural rainwater channels feeding the lake.
