Bengaluru: A stay order issued by the National Green Tribunal, Southern Zone, Chennai, on building activity in the vicinity of Bellandur Lake has been completely ignored, as Deccan Chronicle discovered.
Currently, Belandur Lake covers total 919.17 acres, of which 16.29 acres is encroached. Lake beds and open grounds in the city have always been victims of encroachments by builders and in the case of the lake, the building continues in utter disregard of the court order.
When DC visited the spot, we saw vehicles carrying construction material going to and fro, and construction cranes moving around, Earth-moving machines were working full-time and private water tankers were sucking out water from a borewell built in the lake bed.
“Trucks are continuously moving in the locality. Residing in the vicinity we have witnessed so many protests by various people but these private businessmen do not seem to care,” says Anamoy T., a resident of Bellandur.
It is amazing that BWSSB has allowed borewells to be dug on the lake bed. Nirmal R, another resident says, “I am sure there is some nexus between the BWSSB officials and the private tankers for them to carry on their business so openly every day.”
Massive projects by Mantri Techzone Pvt Ltd, Goyal Orchid Lakeview, and Coremind Software Pvt Ltd (an associate company of M/s Salarpuria Constructions) are in fill swing in the wetlands area of Bellandur Lake.
Says Yellappa Reddy, a noted environmentalist and a member of the Bengaluru Environment Trust (BET), “We will file a contempt petition if the construction work continues even after the court order.”
Another Lake activist Arbind Gupta said, “Severe action should be taken if violations are still going on. And if the officials know about the situation then action should be taken against the officials as well.”
BBMP commissioner Mr Lakshminarayana gave the standard bureaucratic reply: “As per the court order they should not go on with the construction activities now. As of now, we have not visited the spot but soon I will direct my officials to go for inspection and book cases of violations of court order if any.”
When DC tried to reach Mantri builders, they were unavailable for comment. Environmentalists have maintained that construction on the wetlands of the lake will adversely affect the lake and, in the worst case scenario, lead to drying up of the lake. Groundwater levels in the entire area will be affected. The dangers have been vividly spelt out in a report published by the Centre for Ecological Studies, IISc, which recommended immediate scrapping of the Mantri project.
