Bengaluru: After spending more than Rs 5 cr on rejuvenating the nine-acre Halagevaderahalli lake in Rajarajeshwarinagar three years ago, the water body is now contaminated with plastic and release of sewage from the nearby apartments. The lake was in good condition until last year.
United Conservation Movement has lambasted the authorities for neglecting the lake and demanded that the Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka should take the issue as a sou moto case.
“The authorities have failed to protect the lake. Either, they should have put up a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) or have diverted the sewage. After spending so much they could not maintain the lakes,” said Joseph Hoover, a member of United Conservation Movement. On August 14, the High Court of Karnataka had directed the state government and the BBMP to bring out a scheme to either restore the 19 disappeared lakes, including the ones used for forming layouts by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), or create artificial lakes. Hoover highlighted the non-payment of salaries to the security guards deputed to protect the lake.
“Though the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) has been entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining, sustaining lakes, it is the BBMP which supervises it. Payment of salaries to the security guards is made by the BBMP. They have not been paid for three months and more. The Palike, contractors and the government officials should be hauled up for destroying the lake,” he added.
