To,
Shri.
Siddaramaiah Ji
Honorable Chief Minister, Govt of
Karnataka
Bengaluru
Sub: Appeal to Rejuvenate Somasundrapalya Lake and to end menace of KCDC plant
Respected
Siddaramaiah Ji,
Greetings! At the outset for the
letter, we congratulate you for the recent initiatives by your government under
your able leadership in conservation of water bodies across the state by
passing the Karnataka Tank Development Authority Bill, 2014 in the recent
assembly session.
We are confident that the provisions
in new bill would help in rejuvenation and conservation of water bodies in the
state. We also hope this legislation will help in revival and conservation of
the water bodies in and around Bengaluru that are very crucial for recharging
of the depleting ground water tables given the kind of urban sprawl that the
city is been witnessing.
Bengaluru city was known for the lakes
but today many of them vanished and the one’s remaining are in peril. The
reasons range from encroachments of the tank shore area, raja kaluvas, inflow
of effluents from industries in up streams, domestic waste water flows into
storm water drains resulting in pollution of water bodies. The multiplicity of
the institutional ownership of various departments is another issue that has
been hunting the lake conservation.
At this juncture, we take this
opportunity to bring to notice the Somasundrapalya Lake (also known as Haralakunte
Lake) one such neglected lake located survey number 0051 BBMP Ward 190, of
Bommanahalli Assembly Constituency; the lake is currently under BDA
jurisdiction (East division).
Key issues of Somasundrapalya Lake:
- The
lake originally spread over close to 16 Acres 29 Guntas, in last few years
about 3 acres has been encroached. (enclosed copy of RTI reply)
- The
broken fencing and complete neglect by BDA has resulted in debris dumping,
excess growth of weeds, entry of raw sewage and affluent into lake. There by
making it completely unusable for residents either for a walk or recreation.
- Karnataka
Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) located in the vicinity of the lake, has
been encroaching the lake bed for its vehicle movements and to stack up waste
and leachate is flowing into the lake.
- KCDC
plant in this area is close to a heavily populated locality; the residents have
been constantly complaining about the raising stink, vector menace leading to
respiratory diseases and skin allergies. During the monsoon the stink from KCDC
garbage processing operation are unbearable, and residents have take up the
issue with the local authorities but the problem continues to remain.
-
This
lake falls under the upper catchment of the Varthur Lake series, and is
interconnected to 9 lakes in this series gets a good quantity of rain water,
and it can retain and recharge the ground water tables. But neglect and
blockages of the inlets has resulted in lesser and lesser water reaching the
lake.
We would also like to draw Hon. Chief
Minister’s attention to 7th Sept 2013 visit to Agara Lake, where you
had instructed the BDA Commissioner to re-survey Somasundrapalya Lake, and had directed
BBMP Commissioner to take necessary steps to remove encroachments. So far
neither BDA nor BBMP has taken initiated any concrete action nor have indicated
any plan of action in this regard.
The residents of the locality have on
several occasions expressing their concern and helplessness to get the relevant
authorities to address w.r.t lake conservation and remedial measures to control
the odor nuisance from the KCDC operations in this area.
On behalf of the residents of the
locality we are submitting the memorandum in full faith that Hon.
Chief Minister will
take cognizance of the concerns we have raised and will initiate
necessary action without any further delay.
The inhabitants of the
Somasundarpalya and surrounding area would be highly indebted the Hon. Chief
Minister. We once again make humble request you to kindly do the needful and
oblige.
Looking forward to hearing
from you at the earliest.
Thanking you,
Warm Regards,
Kavitha Reddy
Mountaineer
& Lake Activist
Member
of One Bengaluru for Lakes
Founder
Member, Jt Secretary of Agara Lake Protection & Management Society
Enclosed: 1. Response to RTI query
regarding the lake area
2. Copy of the local newspaper
that covered your 7th Sept 2013 visit
3. Three Photos of the current
state of Somasundrapalya Lake
CC:
Shri. Ramalinga Reddy, Hon. Transport
Minister & Bengaluru City in-charge Minister, GOK
Shri.
Kupendra Reddy, Hon. Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha
Click here for reply from CM Office
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