Yelahanka lake under siege: Upa Lokayuktas spot encroachments, sewage inflow
Upa Lokayuktas K.N. Phaneendra and B. Veerappa inspected Yelahanka Lake in northeastern Bengaluru and found alleged encroachments, illegal constructions, and sewage discharge. They have issued
Upa Lokayuktas K.N. Phaneendra and B. Veerappa inspected Yelahanka Lake in northeastern Bengaluru and found alleged encroachments, illegal constructions, and sewage discharge. They have issued an order to multiple departments for immediate action. The alleged irregularities came to light after the Upa Lokayuktas visited the lake on July 15 as part of the ongoing inquiry following repeated allegations of encroachment and pollution. Officials from the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), and other departments were present during the inspection. The inspection revealed untreated sewage water stagnating behind the lake’s waste weir (spillway). The Upa Lokayuktas also found temporary sheds erected within the 30-metre buffer zone on the western side of the lake to house labourers engaged by a private company for an ongoing construction project at a nearby site.
Officials also found a concrete septic tank constructed to collect raw domestic wastewater, along with water storage tanks, within the lake’s buffer zone. The inspection further revealed permanent residential buildings on the north-eastern and south-western sides of the lake’s buffer zone along the tank bund road. Construction activity was also found to be under way in one of the buildings on the south-western side. The Upa Lokayuktas also found sewage being discharged into the stormwater drain from both the north-eastern and south-western sides of the lake. On the south-western side, untreated sewage was found flowing directly into the lake, emitting a strong foul odour, while also contaminating the water body.
Following the inspection, the Upa Lokayuktas issued directions to executive engineers of Yelahanka and the Lakes Division, who were directed to examine the alleged illegal constructions within the lake buffer zone and initiate necessary action. The Upa Lokayuktas instructed the executive engineer of BWSSB to identify the source of the untreated sewage, trace missing links in the drainage network, and take corrective measures. They were also instructed to submit a detailed report on the issues and the measures initiated to fix them. The Assistant Director of Town Planning, Bengaluru, has been directed to prepare a detailed survey sketch and map, identifying all permanent and temporary structures within the Yelahanka Lake buffer zone and submit a comprehensive report.
The BriefWire