Whom do you call to fix your lake?

by July 21, 2022 Water Supply
Here's a list of all the government departments as well as groups of residents and interested ecologists who are looking after Bengaluru's lakes.

Citizens, activists and lake groups are taking up the cause of protecting and improving Bengaluru’s lakes. Engaged citizens and government agencies need to work together to restore to Bengaluru its old reputation of being the “city of lakes’. But there is widespread confusion on whom to approach regarding specific issues. The chart below shows the various government bodies involved with lakes and the current governance structure.

State and Municipal agencies involved in lake preservation
Government bodies involved in managing the lakes of Bengaluru. Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex.

A list of government bodies responsible for the physical, chemical and ecological status of respective lakes are given here.

Read more: MOUs or no MOUs, citizen groups continue the fight to save Bengaluru’s lakes

In 2018, the Government of Karnataka (GoK) repealed the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) Act and transferred all the responsibilities of the department to Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA), which falls under the Minor Irrigation Department (MID) and is chaired by the Chief Minister. KTCDA is the regulatory agency for all lakes in the state but the custody of lakes is still under local government agencies. In Bengaluru, lakes come under BBMP, BDA, KFD, and BMRCL.

For most issues pertaining to a lake, you can contact the lake custodian but if the lake custodian is not responding you can contact MID at 080-2663 2102.

Most of these lakes have lake groups formed by residents and ecologists who are keen to improve the ecological status of lakes. A list of lakes and the lake groups and contact information of the person spearheading the group can be found here.

Read more: Surveying maps, roping in authorities and building a community for Bengaluru’s lakes

Departments and when you should approach them

KSPCB tests for lake water quality and forces effluent standards on STP
KSPCB (Karnataka State Pollution Control Board) is given the overall responsibility to protect lakes. Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex
Citizens can access rainfall forecasts and flood alerts from KSNDMC
Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC). Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex
KFD is incharge of administration of regulating vegetation
Karnataka Forest Department (KFD). Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex
BWSSB responsibilities
BWSSB is responsible for Sewage and STP. Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex
KFDC is in charge of fishing rights
Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation. (KFDC). Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex
BDA is presently the custodian of 33 lakes
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex
4 Divisions are: Lake, SWD, horticulture and SWM
4 major divisions under BBMP which does lake related works. Pic credit: Sarayu Neelakantan and Sanjana Alex

Also read

Sections:

About Shilpa M Swaraj

Shilpa M Swaraj decided to pursue a career in water management after witnessing Bangalore succumb to the water crisis during her growing up years. As a British Council scholar, she is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Hydrology and water management at Newcastle University, United Kingdom. Prior to this course, she worked at ATREE as a research assistant for water security.
Read more by Shilpa M Swaraj

Comments:

  1. Mohammed Shakeel says:
    October 19, 2024 at 6:39 am

    Good Morning, I would like to bring to your notice a lake in Kadugodi near Sharada Vidya Mandir,which is in a dilapidated condition and needs to be restored.

    Reply
  2. Basavesh S Shegaji says:
    August 23, 2025 at 12:32 pm

    Respected Sir/Madam, I sincerely request your kind attention towards the cleaning and proper maintenance of LAKSHMIPURA LAKE in LAKSHMIPURA VILLAGE of MADANAYAKANAHALLI,TUMKUR ROAD
    . At present, it is facing pollution and neglect, which could have long-term effects on public health and groundwater. I kindly urge the authorities to take timely action for desilting, cleaning, and preventing sewage/waste dumping, and also to consider sustainable measures

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Similar Story

Want to understand Bengaluru’s stormwater story? Here’s your chance to learn and act

by January 8, 2026 Water Supply
Join a masterclass on Bengaluru’s stormwater drain network and empower yourself to audit drains in your neighbourhood.

Urban flooding is no longer a seasonal surprise but a predictable outcome of poor stormwater drainage planning, construction, and maintenance. While crores are spent on building and upgrading stormwater drain networks, there is often little transparency or citizen oversight in how these assets are managed. This masterclass sits at the intersection of these two trajectories: a legacy of infrastructural stress and neglect, and a growing urgency to rethink how urban water systems function and are governed. Drawing from Bengaluru’s context and global examples, the session introduces how cities around the world are rethinking the fundamentals of stormwater management to adapt…

Continue reading

Similar Story

Water supply in Chennai’s OMR: Two decades of broken promises

by January 3, 2026 Water Supply
Despite announcements of desalination plants and other projects, a piped water supply has been elusive for residents of most localities in OMR.

For over two decades, residents along Chennai's Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) have been fed a steady diet of promises about piped water supply. From desalination plants to reservoirs, successive governments have announced grand projects that would finally quench the IT corridor's thirst. Yet, as of January 2026, OMR residents are still struggling with inadequate piped water and are forced to rely on expensive private tankers or depleted groundwater that grows more brackish each year. The original promise It began with hope. In July 2004, the then Finance Minister, P Chidambaram, announced central government support for a desalination plant near Chennai.…

Continue reading