Bengaluru’s civic body dumped mud on the Hosakerehalli lake

Bengaluru’s civic body dumped mud on the Hosakerehalli lake

Subject: Environment

Section: Places in news

Context: The lake located in Rajarajeshwari Nagar has been in need of restoration for the last few years. But residents living in the vicinity of the lake saw BBMP trucks dumping huge mounds of mud into it.

More on the News:

• Trucks dumping huge mounds of mud on Bengaluru’s Hosakerehalli lake in Rajarajeshwari Nagar recently alarmed local residents and environmentalists, who shared photos on social media and demanded a response from the authorities. In two weeks, it was observed that a 25 feet-wide road was being constructed on the lake.
• Initially, officials from the civic body Bruhat Bengaluru MahanagaraPalike (BBMP) denied any project being undertaken but they have now said the mud will be removed.

Hosakerehalli lake

• Hosakerehalli Lake is a man-made lake located in the southwestern part of Bengaluru city in the Indian state of Karnataka
• The Hosakerehalli Lake was built in the 16th century during the reign of Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bengaluru. Over time, the lake became an important source of water for irrigation and drinking.
• Hosakerehalli Lake is home to a wide variety of bird species, including migratory birds like the spot-billed pelican, Eurasian coot, and common teal.
• The lake is connected to several other water bodies in the area, including the Vrishabhavathi River, which is a major tributary of the Arkavathy River.
• The lake provides important ecosystem services such as groundwater recharge, flood control, and habitat for a variety of plant and animal species. It is also an important recreational space for local residents.
• Threats to lake:
  • The waste collected from houses and poultries is dumped in the lake. Even the medicinal waste is dumped here.
  • The untreated sewage from Sapthagiri layout enters the lake.
  • The borewells have been dug on the lake bed.
  • Encroachment of areas around them
  • The funds which are released in the name of funding to restore the lake are not being utilised.

Lakes

• Lakes are defined by the National Lake Conservation Program (NLCP) as standing water bodies with a minimum water depth of 3 m, a water spread of more than ten hectares, and no or very little aquatic vegetation.
• Lakes are a diverse group of inland freshwater ecosystems found all over the world.

Importance of Lakes

• Water Cycle: Lakes are a crucial aspect of the water cycle because they collect all of the water in a certain area. The watershed, or all the streams and rivers that feed into a single lake, filters the water.
• Transportation and Commerce: Lakes have served as transportation and commercial channels for ages.
• Source of Water: Many settlements get their water from lakes. Drought-resistant water is stored in artificial lakes. Dam-created lakes also produce hydroelectric power.
• Crop Irrigation: Farmers irrigate their crops with lake water. Farmers benefit from the climate effect of particularly large lakes.
• Recreation Sites: Lakes are popular recreation sites because they are quite attractive.
• Permanent Residence: Lakes are permanent homes for certain groups of people
• Lake Effect:Winds blowing from lakes help to make the climate more equal because water does not heat or cool as quickly as land.

National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP)

• Since 2001, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has been implementing the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) to conserve and manage polluted and degraded lakes in urban and semi-urban areas.
• An integrated scheme, NPCA, combining the National Lake Conservation Plan and the National Wetlands Conservation Programme was created to avoid overlap, promote better synergies, and ensure conservation and management work.
• The new scheme will include conservation and management of lakes and wetlands in the country, including an inventory and information system on lakes and wetlands, a national level directive on lake and wetlands criteria, a regulatory framework, capacity building at the state government and local body levels, evaluation, and so on.
• Its goal was of conserving aquatic ecosystems (lakes and wetlands) through the implementation of long-term conservation plans governed by uniform policy and guidelines.

NLCP – Aim & Objectives

• The National Lake Conservation Plan aims at comprehensive conservation and restoration of lakes and wetlands for attaining desired water quality enhancement in addition to improvement in biodiversity and ecosystem.
• It was planned to be conducted through an integrated and interdisciplinary strategy with a shared regulatory framework.
• This program would promote biodiversity, lower pollutant loads, and the commodities and services that these bodies of water provide to the stakeholders.
• Through an integrated ecosystem approach, to restore and conserve the country’s urban and semi-urban lakes that have degraded due to waste water discharge into the lake, as well as other unique freshwater eco systems.