‘You should also report on Hegondanahalli Kere. A lake has been killed in the name of rejuvenation’ — a message that I received from Chetan Gopal, Bengaluru-based lake conservationist and a member of the group ‘Friends of Lakes’, after my earlier story on Mullur Lake, another panchayat lake, was published.
Chetan regularly visits around 14 lakes in Sarjapura Road, Varthur and nearby areas, mostly outside the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) limit, and his observations bear out what our article underscored — that lakes on the peripheries of the city face common challenges that have left them in worse condition than those under BBMP’s custody. He is particularly vocal about the fact that lake development projects have not really helped improve lake health.
Hegondanahalli Lake: A picture of neglect
On a Saturday morning, we visited a few lakes, the first being the 17-acre Hegondanahalli Kere. Once meant for recreation, it now lies abandoned, choked with liquor cartons and construction debris, with open defecation further worsening its state.
Signs of neglect and misuse are evident. Just a few metres in, my feet slipped into a crack in the ‘newly’ laid walking path—a definite hazard for visitors. Strangely, the path was built within the lake area rather than along its border. Chetan explained that the 2022 restoration, led by the NGO Hands on CSR, lacked a scientific approach: “The walk path is an encroachment and will reduce the lake’s water-holding capacity.”
The lake bund has been raised on one side. “Mana Projects has started construction next to the lake. Sand from the site has been dumped on the bund to avoid flooding in their property,” Chetan pointed out during our walk. However, the sand will eventually wash into the lake, reducing its water-holding capacity. To avoid this, the property should have built a retaining wall, which was not done. Some inlets are narrowed or blocked.
“Mana Projects has dumped sand just next to the lake boundary, which undermines our work (on the lake restoration). I have requested them to build a retaining wall,” said Gurunandhan Rao, Executive Director of Hands on CSR. He also confirms that some of the work needs to be redone. The informal settlements near the lake make it challenging to carry out fencing to safeguard the lake, he added.
Mana Projects claims to have rejuvenated the lake, but Gurunandhan disputes this, stating that they merely did some planting, which was not visible during my visit “While the private builders claim on social media that they are making a positive impact on the environment, the soil dumping suggests just the opposite,” said Chetan.
Hadosiddapura Lake: A lake that went missing in parts
Hadosiddapura Lake, spread across 36 acres, shares its boundaries with Halanayakkanahalli and Kodathi gram panchayats. The Malligavad Foundation took up the lake for rejuvenation in 2017.
As part of the work, the NGO developed a Miyawaki forest along one side of the lake—a method of dense plantation aimed at quick afforestation. The lake was also reshaped using a soup-bowl design, where the bed is deepened into a bowl-like structure, with the aim of improving water storage.
Inlets were laid around the lake to collect rainwater, and sludge retention basins were built instead of diversion channels to prevent sewage from entering directly. Incidentally, three months ago, a diversion channel was built, but was not linked with the sewage network. The sewage now ends up through this channel on private land next to the lake.
While the rejuvenation has made the lake appear lush and well-filled, there are several concerns when one probes deeper. Satellite images, survey boundaries and lake boundary observations suggest that over 9,000 square metres of the lake have been left undeveloped and encroached.
The rejuvenated section reportedly excludes the portion within Kodathi panchayat limits, where soil was dumped and the land was leveled, showing no signs that the lake ever existed. The Miyawaki forest, planted along the boundary of the two panchayats, makes it difficult to even spot this encroachment.
Lack of clarity on boundaries
Chetan pointed out that the part of the lake within Kodathi panchayat limits has been intentionally left out and encroached, and the Miyawaki forest now acts as a convenient barrier. But Anand Malligavad, the founder of Malligavad Foundation, claimed that the lake’s boundary was defined as per the boundary survey.
When Citizen Matters first contacted Muralidhar P, Kodathi Panchayat Development Officer, he was unsure whether the lake fell under Kodathi panchayat. Upon verification, he stated that the newly elected panchayat authorities were unaware of it, as the development had already been completed.
Muralidhar said they will now take measures to build a small pond within Kodathi panchayat’s boundary of the lake, which will help store at least a little amount of water. Land surveys will be conducted, and NGOs will be approached for the development.
No support for biodiversity
Though the lake holds water, it does not support much birdlife in the main water body. Ironically, more birds—such as Grey Heron, Glossy Ibis, Eurasian Coot, and Egrets—are seen foraging and resting in shallow sewage water collected next to the lake. “If the lake is turned into a bowl-like structure without varying depths, it will neither support biodiversity nor improve water quality,” said Priyanka Jamwal, Programme Leader and Senior Fellow at the Water and Society Programme at ATREE.
Anand explained that the soup-bowl design was followed to collect as much water as possible. “The water holding capacity has been significantly increased after the development,” he said.
Challenges and way forward
A few other lakes are also facing similar issues. Deverakere, which is in the process of development, does not have diversion channels, silt and debris traps or varying depths. Unchecked urban growth has contaminated Mullur Lake. And the list goes on.
“As NGOs, we face many challenges, let alone the lack of funds and citizen involvement, poor accountability among Panchayat authorities, clearing up encroachments, and long DPR approval procedures for panchayat lakes,” Anand argued.
While a lack of funding for panchayat lakes is one major challenge, there are a few other problems too. The Panchayat authorities — the custodians of these lakes, lack awareness about the scientific approach to lake restoration. Citizens are rarely involved. Encroachments of private property are left unchecked.
What is common among the lakes under the panchayat?
- Unscientific lake rejuvenation efforts, denoting a lack of proper scrutiny of Detailed Project Report (DPR).
- Lack of awareness among panchayat officials about lake boundaries, encroachments and scientific rejuvenation methods.
- Poor accountability among corporate builders and other private entities, who pollute the lake. This also highlights the panchayat’s failure to exercise adequate scrutiny.
However, one lake is fighting all the odds through active citizen involvement. Chetan envisions that Kachamaranahalli Lake will be better developed. That’s because a few citizens have come together to develop a Lake Vision Document (LVD), one of the ways in which citizens can contribute.
Why should citizens contribute?
“Holistic and scientific development of lakes should cater to both ecology and human utility of lakes,” noted Chetan, highlighting the importance of balancing the various needs of a lake during its development. After all, who understands a lake’s needs better than the people living around it?
“When locals visit a lake often, they will eventually understand the problems and the kind of development required,” he added. This could also guide NGOs to prioritise such development work.
Priyanka agreed that citizens play a major role in lake development. “The natives of Karnataka once held deep spiritual and cultural connections with lakes,” she added. “But with rapid urbanisation and an influx of people, that sense of stewardship among citizens has faded.”
How citizens can contribute
How can citizens be actively involved in cleaning and maintaining lakes sustainably over time?
Read more: Mapping Bengaluru’s lake assets: A guide to sustainable urban water bodies
Active engagement with the lake is the first step and leads to a sense of ownership. Visit the lakes, take a walk regularly, watch the birds, and observe and understand the lake’s problems. Citizens and communities must also inform restoration target setting. “As funds will always be limited, citizens should help identify what needs to be prioritised for restoration,” said Priyanka.
Citizens can also help by monitoring the lake health by simple methods before and after intervention. Children must be made aware of the health and importance of lakes and involved in monitoring.
Insights on scientific development of lakes are needed before planning any intervention for a lake’s development. An understanding of lake assets is necessary for a scientific development of the lake.
“Panchayats can also facilitate citizens to come together and develop the LVD,” concluded Chetan.
Palannahalli Lake is most worst of its order of Existence. These Lake has become a Sewage Lake, besides, BBMP has permitted fishing contract with no concern of Health Safety. Inspite of Complaining to BBMP Commissioner and also to Our Revenue Minister of State, who is a MLA from our Bytrayanpura Constituency, no action has been initiated. Really Pathetic condition of this palannahalli Sewage Lake. Migratory Birds have stopped arriving and at times, fish are found dead and floating.. God Save this Palannahalli Sewage Lake.