Sewage and plastic waste has been steadily pouring into Kaikondrahalli lake for the last few months from the eastern side of the lake. On the evening of 12th May 2016, a private landowner from that side breached the lake bund with JCB and drew a channel to empty sewage from his land directly into the lake. Despite best efforts from the BBMP Lakes dept led by Mr Satish (Chief Engineer), Mr Jagannath (Executive Engineer) & Ms Shilpa (Asst Engineer), and the surrounding community volunteers, gallons of accumulating and fresh raw sewage have been entering the lake for past 4 months.
Since then, the community has met with the BBMP Commissioner, Addnl Chief Secretary Vijay Bhaskar, Mr NA Haris, member of the Legislative Committee on Lakes, GOK, BBMP Mayor and the KSPCB officials. Still numerous complaints made to the Mahadevapura zonal office have evoked complete silence and no action on their part. This goes lengths to speak about the clout of the private landowner over the workings of the BBMP zonal office and the patronage he receives from the political powers. It is sad that crores of tax payers money, countless hours of citizens and experts spent in rejuvenating this lake will eventually amount to nothing because of ONE person who is apparently above the law of the land.
Every now and then, the volunteers and labourers sent by BBMP lakes team will block the inlet, only to be opened in a couple of hours by the men hired by the private landowner.
On Sept 21, BBMP team sent labourers to clear the plastic garbage and to fill the opening with sand in order to block the sewage from coming in. The labourers working in the spot were pelted with stones. Three of the labourers sent by BBMP were injured and treated at a nearby hospital.
On Sept 22, BBMP lakes department sent a letter to the DCP, ACP and local police station to provide protection to the labourers.
On Sept 23 2016, BBMP resumed its efforts to block the sewage with police protection.
Due to another law and order problem in the vicinity, police had to leave the spot. The landowner and his men used this window of opportunity to come and undo all the work done by BBMP resulting in free flow of sewage into the lake AGAIN. BBMP lakes dept attempted to lodge an FIR today, against the private land owner. FIR letter has been submitted but ensuring that it gets filed required many days of follow up.
Video showing the landowner and his men in action.
https://youtu.be/Eaa2FpqoaFQ
Destruction of public property, injuring people engaged in government work are both criminal acts. We implore the authorities to take strictest action to ensure the safety of those working for the lake and the lake itself.
As citizens of the neighbourhood, let us stand united and raise our voice against such unlawful activities by an individual resulting in destruction of water bodies!
Raw sewage pouring in from this inlet since May 2016
Plastic Garbage also coming since the landowner dug a trench under the fence with a JCB.
Laboureres hired by the BBMP to removed the plastic waste from the lake
Work was underway till…
Workers were pelted with stones and 3 of them were injured. They had to be treated at a nearby hospital
Work restarted with police protection after two days.
Blocking the inlet
Blocking the inlet
Right after the police left, the landowner arrived with his men to abuse the BBMP workers and unlawfully unblock the inlet to restore flow of raw sewage from his land.