BBMP team frees city lakes of encroachments

Bengaluru: In a drive conducted for two days on Thursday and Friday, a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) team cleared Junnasandra and Varanasi lakes of encroachments.

The team evicted the encroachers and stopped the on-going construction work at Junnasandra lake. BBMP got the Bellandur police register an FIR against the encroachers.

A local leader, Srinivas Reddy was constructing a shed and claimed he owned the entire lake. Apparently, the same person was involved in violations at Kaikondrahalli and Kasavanahalli lakes as well.

According to the BBMP, Reddy owns land beside Kaikondrahalli and Kasavanahalli lakes and used to remove the fence around the lakes to let the cows enter the area.

There is another building constructed within the Junnasandra lake area.

BBMP assistant executive engineer Prakash KV led the team to remove the encroachments.

At Varanasi lake, one acre and six guntas area worth about Rs 30 crore was freed from the clutches of encroachers. The BBMP along with the officials of revenue department and police demolished the structures.

A fence will be put up around the lake to prevent further encroachments. The lake will be developed soon.

Chief Engineer, BBMP (lakes), Mohan Krishna said that soon other lakes will be cleared of encroachments in a phased manner.

The Karnataka High Court has passed an order directing the civic body to remove encroachments from the lakes.