B'luru: Environmentalists criticise BBMP’s 51-crore development plans for Mallathahalli Lake

Bengaluru: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) development plans for the Mallathahalli Lake in west Bengaluru have been criticized by environmentalists.

BBMP floated a Rs 51-crore tender and proposals for conceiving and constructing rail bridges, hanging bridges, walkways, and a glasshouse at the 72-acre Mallathahalli Lake in the BBMP’s Raja Rajeshwari Nagar division. A concrete wall costing Rs 32 crore is also a part of the proposal.

Environmentalists claim that the proposal to develop the lake goes against a report by Justice NK Patil, a former judge of the Karnataka high court which stated that the boundaries of lakes should be defined by planting trees.

The founder of Friends of Lakes in Bengaluru said that that this project is shameful amidst the looming water scarcity problem, and such projects will impact the water holding capacity of lakes. Lakes recharge groundwater. The project will not stand legal scrutiny.

Sandeep Aniruddhan, the co-founder of Coalition for Water Scrutiny, said, “What is the logic followed by the BBMP consultants and officials in rejuvenating a lake? The basic principle stated in multiple court orders and even government orders are to restore the natural ecosystem of a lake, not to convert the lake into an amusement park that will destroy the lake,” as quoted by The Indian Express.