Bellanduru Lake: NGT order not implemented effectively reports committee

A committee set up by the NGT has submitted its findings that the NGT orders issued with regard to Bellandur and Agara Lakes have not been implemented effectively, reported Kannada Prabha.

The Tribunal had issued an order to vacate the illegal encroachment of Bellandur and Agaram lakes by Mantri Tech Zone. The Forward Foundation had submitted an application appealing to NGT to inspect if the order has been implemented or not. The NGT hearing into the application had set up a committee headed by senior scientist from IISC Dr T V Ramachandra on Sept 8 to investigate and report. The committee has submitted its report to NGT with regard to the order issued by NGT on 2016 May 4.

The NGT had given instructions that Mantri Tech Zone must immediately hand over the 3 acres and 10 Guntas at Survey no.43 in the Bellandur Lake region and also bear the expenses of reviving the region.  A buffer zone of 75 meters between the lake and Mantri Project area must be maintained and to consider it the Green Belt.

The encroached land by Mantri has been seized by BDA and a fence has been put up. But the land has not been revived. A buffer zone of 75 meters has been marked with flags.  But the construction works have not been cleared.  The 75 meter buffer zone in Agara Lake and the civil works have not yet been marked, says the report.

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The NGT had instructed that 50 meter of buffer zone from Rajakaluve side towards near the project had to considered Green Belt. But the BBMP has not yet marked the Rajakaluve adjacent to Mantri Tech Zone property. Hence the committee was unable to identify the buffer zone.  There are several canals from Agara Lake that pass through the Mantri Tech Zone. These canals feed water to fields and disperse rain water.

However, the civil works undertaken by the Mantri Tech has completely damaged the canals.  Hence a water study has to be undertaken regarding surface water of Agara and Bellandur lakes and an appropriate rain water canals must be constructed by Mantri Tech Zone and these canals must contain 50 meter buffer zone NGT had instructed.

The Namma Bengaluru Foundation has raised objections to the committee report.  It argues that the report does not abide by the original intent of the NGT. NGT had placed the responsibility of implementing its orders on Mantri Tech Zone. That has not been carried out. The report does not mention that Foundation objects in a letter written to member secretary of the committee.

On Wednesday when the case came up for hearing Mantri Tech Zone lawyers argued that they have to file an objection to the report.  There are members inducted into the committee not mentioned by the NGT. Hence they asked for time to file objections and NGT agreed and gave a week’s time to file objections.  The State Government can also file its objections. The next hearing is set for Nov 22.

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