BENGALURU: With the failure of monsoon and development projects taken up in them, 186 lakes in the city have their water reserve gone down by 50 per cent. According to data, the water holding capacity of all the lakes put together in the city is 31,430.48 million litres (ML), but as of March 1, the storage was only 16,973.63 ML. Environmentalists and lake activists fear that it could impact aquatic life.
39 lakes have gone completely dry. “Some are empty as development activities, like desilting, improving wetlands, fencing, island creation and others, are undertaken. Most lakes have less than 30 per cent of water and if the harsh summer continues, the situation will get worse,” said a senior official from the BBMP Lake Division.
Mahadevapura zone has the highest number of 51 lakes with a water holding capacity of 9,426.26 ML, but it has reduced to 2,962.61 ML now. Bommanahalli, which follows Mahadevapura, has 45 water bodies with a water holding capacity of 6,147.63 ML. The water level has come down to 3,234.58 ML due to summer and development works.
The lake division hopes that some lakes will be filled with treated water, like the Nayandahalli Lake, which always brims as the BWSSB pumps treated water into it. Similarly, a 10 MLD capacity sewage treatment plant is used to fill Jakkur Lake.
“The BWSSB is planning additional STPs apart from its existing 31. Once all the old ones are upgraded and new ones built to treat water released from stormwater drains, all lakes will be healthy in terms of water holding capacity even when there is a monsoon deficit,” said an official.
On the grave situation of water bodies, well-known environmentalist AN Yellappa Reddy said encroachments, storm water drains and dumping of debris, and garbage are the main reasons for lakes going dry.