BENGALURU: The Minor Irrigation Department’s Yele Mallapa Shetty tank, spread across 506.8-acre, is facing a threat as construction debris is being dumped on its premises. Enraged residents want the department to install CCTVs and take up fencing work around the lake. Earlier, there were reports of layouts releasing raw sewage into the lake.
Assistant Executive Engineer, Minor Irrigation Department, Rajanna said the department is aware of illegal dumping of debris at the lake and has taken up the fencing work. “It has to be completed in a 10 km radius of the lake that will cover two panchayats and BBMP area. Based on the tahsildar’s order and survey, 3 km of fencing has been done. In another month, the department will complete all the fencing work and this will ensure protection of the lake,” he added.
Department Executive Engineer Ravindranath said they are also thinking of handing over the lake to the municipality, which will get enough funds for the water body’s restoration.
Though a 15 MLD sewage treatment plant has been installed at the lake by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, sewage is still entering the lake. A letter has been written to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and BWSSB to fix it, he added.
Lake activists and residents said the government should install CCTVs to catch the culprits dumping debris in the lake, which is the second largest water body in Bengaluru. “Most activists and residents are out on work and are unable to catch the culprits. The miscreants who are constructing buildings in layouts in KR Puram and surrounding areas bring debris either at night or during the afternoon and escape after unloading the load,” said a resident.