Save the Bellandur Lake

Renting a property overlooking the Bellandur Lake was a temptation I just couldnt resist. An early morning cuppa tea in the balcony about 100 ft away from the lake, visits from parrots, kingfishers, kites, unhindered beautiful sunset view.. who gets lung space like that in Bangalore! And as I counted myself amongst the lucky few.. slowly the perils of staying close to an unkempt lake started to rear its head!

Bellandur Tank is one of the largest water bodies in Bangalore. Several builders sold premium flats exposing buyers to a lifetime of susceptibility to skin diseases, breathing problems, lung and eye infections. The lovely Bellandur lake is changing its color to a darkish grey, water hyacinths, weeds abound the lake, a foul odor eminates occasionally. At the exit end of the lake, one can see heavy froth which indicates the lake is severely polluted through all the industrial effluents, sewerage being unceremoniously dumped into it. One can almost guess the huge impact this pollution must be having on the ecosystem dependent on the lake. Years ago, people from near by area would fish, even drink water from this lake. A news report from TOI dated early 2006, mentions growing number of health problems faced by nearby villages. Probably a few more years down the line, a similar report will mention residents in building complexes like ours, complaining of health issues due to prolonged exposure to polluted air/water from the lake(our complex survives on borewells for non drinking usage).

The Lake Development Authority of Bangalore, LDA, in perennial fight with the BWSSB over management and maintenance of Bangalore lakes, seems to have rehabilitated Ulsoor, Sankey tank recently. It had also put up proposals to privatize rehabilitation of lakes and invited tenders.. succesfully too as several prominent corporates responded most eagerly. Some like The Oberois were keen on making a eco-hotspot of the Hebbal Lake(a floating restaurant being there idea of eco :-) ). Some apartment complexes near Hebbal Lake are five star/premium areas including the monumental Bearys twin towers. The high and the mighty residing there will soon realize the health risks posed by the area enclosing their resort like haven and will be up in arms pushing for the Oberois, Leelas to reclaim land and build a nice posh hotel there and maintain the lake as a side project. Several of these attempts have been met with criticism and opposition by environmental groups that dont believe the privatization will work in favor of the environment since most earlier attempts have tragically ended up in reclaiming the land for rapid unmonitored growth.

There seem to be relatively few options agreeable to everybody. Bangalore does need its land.. hell, living on a possibly reclaimed land, working in an industry that contributed to the rapid downfall of everything beautiful in this city, I cannot be a hypocrite. But can development work hand in hand with nature and return as much as it takes back?

1. Allow reclaiming land on a promise of contribution to the maintenance of lake shore area near to their property. I have no idea how this needs to be enforced.
2. Why hate privatization? I agree Oberois's attempt to rehabilitate Hebbal lake wasnt exactly unselfish in nature.. but I can take a floating eco-themed restaurant to the foul smelling mosquito haven that the Hebbal Lake is now. There are concerns regarding access to the general public after privatization. Will Oberoi allow public access to the lake once its restaurant is seen floating on it. It might charge fees or worse barricade it off. And that is where the LDA might come into the picture.. forcing regulations on the corporate adoptive parent of the lake.
3. Whose responsibility is it to maintain these lakes? Why is LDA not a part of BBMP or a Govt appointed regulatory body? Where can I get latest information on the pollution levels in these lakes?

There seems to be little that is on a big public stage right now, unlike the 2008 attempt by "Hasiru Usiru" to protest against lake-privatization. I just joined a Praja group online and am asking questions on how you and me can help save our lakes.