The division bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar and Justice A S Bopanna issued directions to take up the survey, demarcation and fencing of the lakes. Further, it issued directions to identify encroachers and take action against violators and complete this process in three months time.
The committee had prepared an action plan for saving the lakes of Bangalore, comprising steps such as demarcating and fencing the lakes, identifying unauthorised construction and removing them, removing silt and rejuvenating lakes, stopping of sewage entering the lakes and constructing tank bunds wherever necessary.
Background
Leo Saldanha of the NGO, Environment Support Group, had filed a petition raising concerns over the lack of protection and management of lakes in Bangalore and had also voiced concerns over the privatisation of lakes in Bangalore by the Lake Development Authority.
Based on the PIL, a committee was constituted by the High Court to examine the ground realities and prepare an action plan for the preservation of lakes in Bangalore.
The committee was headed by Justice N K Patil, Judge, High Court of Karnataka and involved the Chiefs of Revenue Department, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Karnataka Forest Department, Bangalore Development Authority, BBMP, Minor Irrigation Department, Lake Development Authority and Department of Town Planning.
In the report titled ‘‘Preservation of Lakes in the City of Bangalore,’ Justice N K Patil noted that the lakes, which have been put to misuse, are threatening the water security, ecology and environment of the City. With the population of Bangalore likely to reach 120 lakhs by 2020, the matter demanded a proactive regulation, planning and execution system, so as to face the challenges of water scarcity and to keep the City habitable, he said.Further, while stating that the Bangalore region under intense urbanisation (BDA planning area, including BBMP and BMICAPA areas) had about 386 lakes left. The status of 121 lakes is unknown and the report acknowledges that upto 100 lakes have disappeared as they have been converted for various urban uses including bus stations, roads, layouts, garbage dumps, truck stands, etc.
The key recommendations of the report include immediate action to remove encroachments from lake area and also the Raja Kaluves (feeder canals interconnecting lakes); lake restoration to be taken up based on lake series/sub-series and not in isolation; ensure that entry of raw sewage into lakes becomes a thing of the past, and to strictly penalise offenders.
One of the key action items is to select lakes that are relatively undisturbed and rehabilitate them into drinking water reservoirs by blocking off entry of sewage altogether.
Similarly, lakes which have very high biodiversity, especially of migratory waterfowl, will be notified for conservation under the Wetland (Conservation and Management Rules), 2010, as per the Environment Protection Act, according to the report.