30 feet illegal pathway constructed on Kaggadasapura Lake
- A 30 feet pathway constructed without any permission or plan on Kaggadasapura lake.
- Definitely it is an indication that soon it will be taken over by private land sharks,allege locals.
- The 50 acre lake has been reduced to 38 acres now by encroachment.
- The lake was under the Forest Department then handed over to BDA. Now, it is under BBMP.
- More dangerously, the Lake also has started foaming. If action is not taken immediately it will pose a threat as big as Bellandur Lake.
FollowWhat happens when the local official bodies are careless and indifferent to the problem of encroachment of lake? A 30 feet pathway has been allegedly constructed without any permission or plan. Definitely it is an indication that soon it will be taken over by private land sharks, reported Kannada Prabha.
That is what is happening at the Kaggadasapura Lake. It is said that there are influential personalities living in the apartments surrounding the Kaggadasapura Lake and there are attempts to encroach upon the lake area. The civil works in the lake area has been taken up without any permission of any sort, nor did planning sanction. Funds are not released and project report is not prepared. Yet the local people’s representatives and officials are involved and supporting this illegal construction.
Usually a pathway on any lake is 10 feet. Here it is 30 feet wide. Also adjacent to the Jalakanteshwara Temple built long ago, new Sai Baba temple is being constructed by encroaching upon lake region, alleged local resident Jagadish.
The 50 acre lake has been reduced to 38 acres now by encroachment. Now, efforts are on to take over that also. The lake was under the Forest Department earlier. Later it was handed over to BDA. Now, it is under BBMP. Since 2016 when it came under BBMP no developmental activities to preserve the lake has been taken up by BBMP, as confirmed by RIT information.
Local resident Anand said in 2010 a project report was prepared to construct a pathway at an estimated budget of Rs 18 lakhs. However it was not undertaken instead 4 gates were installed at 4 places and civil works stopped. Now without any plan or permission a 30 feet pathway is being constructed illegally he said.
Bellandur Lake in the making
Also, the surrounding area apartments are directly letting out effluents into the lake without treatment. This is a Bellandur lake in the making. From past 12 weeks locals are protesting against the illegal civil works.
Every Sunday the citizens group cleans the lake, children use the lake bund for painting and lectures to create awareness about conserving lakes. Attempts to contact local MLA S Raghu several times went futile. He did not respond to text messages also. BBMP East Division Chief Engineer BS Prasad said the civil works at the lake was taken up with the local MLA fund. But after public protest it has been stopped. A letter has been written to Lake Development Authority. After receiving a reply from then civil works will be resumed, he said.
More dangerously, the Kaggadasapura Lake also has started foaming. If action is not taken immediately it will pose a threat as big as Bellandur Lake.
