Out of 210 lakes in Bengaluru, 19 have disappeared, 21 free from encroachment

Bengaluru: Of the 210 lakes in Bengaluru city, 19 lakes do not exist anymore and only 21 are free from encroachment. BBMP Special Commissioner (Lake) Dr V Ramprasad Manohar said earnest efforts would be made to to conserve the remaining lakes.

The disappearance of the 19 lakes happened over a period of time. It was not a recent happening. Poor people have built huts in place where there were lakes and they have now become slums. Ramprasad said at a press conference that government schools and other buildings were built in 21 of the encroached lakes. The task of clearing, conserving, and developing the existing lakes is taken up on a phase wise. "We are fencing the lakes and covering them and we have a budget of Rs 1 crore for the purpose."

A sum of Rs 85 crore has been earmarked to develop 39 lakes as part of the Independence Day celebration. Development of seven lakes will be completed by the end of this month and work on 17 lakes will be completed by next December. A grant of Rs 200 crore has been proposed for developing and rejuvenating 67 lakes, he said.

Ramprasad Manohar said the Chamarajapet Eidgah Maidan was a BBMP property and the documents were being examined.

He said the West Zone Commissioner would take a decision in a couple of days on the permission to non-religious events such as Independence Day celebrations at the playground. "There are a total of 6,215 properties in the BBMP limits. Of these, 324 have been leased, of which 163 lease agreement have expired. The proposals to renew the lease is before the government."

Ramprasad Manohar said signboards with the name, telephone and portraits of those who manage the gardens would be installed near all the gardens.

"There are 1,118 parks in the city and for their maintenance Rs 85 crore is earmarked in the BBMP budget. I have issued a strict notification that all parks should have an information board within a week as to the persons managing them. He further said that 230 parks need to be developed and the plan has been prepared and submitted to the government. The BBMP Special Commissioner (Lake) informed that the schools being run by civic body schools have received Rs 35 crore for infrastructure development. There are some schools which are affected by rainwater flooding and the problem will be rectified. "We are giving our best to provide quality education to the students of BBMP schools and we are going to hold training programmes for teachers to enhance their skills. The cost of each meal being provided to primary school pupil by ISKCON has been raised from Rs 10 to Rs 12 in view of rising prices of essential commodities and from Rs 20 to Rs 23 for meals supplied to PU college students.