Urban News

The Deccan Chronicle  05.10.2010

Oct. 4: Even as the Bangalore Development authority is on the verge of completing rejuvenation work on 10 lakes in the city, it plans to take up development work on 29 additional lakes. This was revealed by BDA commissioner Bharat Lal Meena at the inauguration of the two-day international conference on “Water, Plumbing, Sanitation and Health: Issues and Challenges-A Transdisciplinary approach-2010”, organised by the departments of civil engineering and zoology here on Monday.

“We will be planting trees across the tank bund area,” Mr Meena said. The restoration and overall development of the 11 lakes that were entrusted to the department of civil engineering, Bangalore University, will be taken up at a cost of Rs 104 crore. Almost 95 per cent of the rejuvenation work on the lakes is complete, said H.N. Ramesh, chairman, department of civil engineering.

As part of the project, Ullal lake, Malathalli lake, Kammaghatta lake, Kothanur lake, Konasandra lake, Thalagatpura lake, Jakkur lake, Rachenahalli lake, Ramasandra lake and Venaktapura lake are being given a face-lift.

“We have done the refurbishment of the tank bund, strengthened it and increased the depth by 200 per cent. We have also created a separate small kalyani (tank) with a dimension of 15.7mtr/13.5mtr with three metres depth near the lake for the immersion of Ganesha idols during the festival. And we have made provisions for boating at the lakes. We have already planted 1,000 saplings around the lake,” A.S. Ravikumar, who is in charge of the project, said.

He said: “We have recommended for a sewerage treatment plant at the entry point of the lake and the proposal is being considered. The construction of a sewerage plant has already been taken up at Malathalli lake.” Bangalore University vice-chancellor, N. Prabhudeva and others participated at the conference.