May 18: The state government, which is all set to create new lakes, has over a period of years failed to put the brakes on encroachers taking over the many water bodies that once gave the city its cool and airy ambience and has looked the other way even when the BDA and private builders have occupied them for their own use.

In the process, Bengaluru has lost nearly 500 lakes spread over 12,000 acres over the past many years. Bengaluru urban district which once had 937 lakes covering 25,000 acres is today left with only 500 lakes that occupy around 14,000 acres. While a lot of them have been lost to urbanisation, encroachers have played a big role too. Encroachment of lakes is a stealthy operation, say Lake Development Authority sources.

“When the lakes are dry in summer the encroachers cover them with mud so that when the rains come they cannot store water. Over a period of time they build a boundary wall and begin construction on the lake bed when no one is looking,” they explain.

In fact some of the city’s well known localities are resting on what were once lakes. The Karnataka Golf Association is sitting on the Challaghatta Lake bed, RMV II stage first block on the Geddalahalli Lake, RMV II stage, 2nd block on the Nagashettihalli Lake, Banashankari II stage on the Kadirenahalli Lake, Rajajinagar (Mahalakshmipuram) on the Ketamaranahalli Lake, Austin Town (RES Colony) on the Sonnenehalli Lake, Mathikere on the Gokula Tank, Nagavara (HBR Layout) on the Hennur Lake, Rajarajeshwai Layout on the Vijinapura Lake (Kotturu), Vijayanagar on the Vijayanagar Chord Road Lake, Kempegowda Bus Terminal on the Dharmambudhi Lake, Kalasipalya on the Kalasipalya Lake, the Kanteerava Stadium on the Sampangi Lake, Ashoknagar Football Stadium on the Shule Tank, KSRTC regional workshop on the Sunkal Tank, the National Dairy Research Institute on the Koramangala Lake, New Tippasandra/government buildings on Kodihalli Lake, and Rajajinagar Industrial Area on the Oddarapalaya Lake.

While some may argue that you cannot stop this sort of urbanisation considering the growing population of the city, the question is, when will we be prepared to say “spare the lakes, look for alternatives?”