1. Strategic Action Planning for Revival
of Bangalore Lakes
Workshop organised by
Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and
Finance Corporation Ltd.
04 April 2013, Bangalore
A presentation made by
Bhargavi S. Rao and Leo F. Saldanha
Environment Support Group
www.esgindia.org
esg@esgindia.org

2. Bangalore's sprawl at the cost
of water security
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3. Aren't Cities overreaching
their environmental limits
A city's ambition is quite
independent of its environmental
limits. Can this growth be
sustained?

4. A costly clean-up that has not delivered

5. Largely untreated waters of Vrishbhavathi enters Byramangala
tank which irrigates vegetable gardens, orchards, paddies, ragi
and sugarcane fields, and also recharges ground water

6. Water Economics for Bangalore

7. Lifting Cauvery to
quench Bangalore's
thirst
•Cauvery water is supplied to
Bangalore from 100 kms. away
and lifted over 500 metres head.
•This demands enormous
investment of energy and
infrastructure.
•Cauvery waters meet needs of
half the city's populus. Rest
depend on ground water, much of
which is polluted.

8. How much water in Kabini?

9. Justice N. K. Patil Committee on Preservation of Lakes in Bangalore
constituted in PIL filed by Environment Support Group

10. Key recommendations of Justice N. K. Patial Committtee
 Immediate action to remove
encroachments from lake area
and also the Raja Kaluves (canals
interconnecting lakes) by
undertaking legal survey of area.
 Lake restoration is to be taken up
based on lake series/sub-series
and not in isolation.
 Stop entry of raw sewage and
dumping of garbage into lakes;
penalise offenders.
 Select lakes that are relatively
undisturbed, and rehabilitate
them into drinking water
reservoirs.
 All lakes and Raja Kaluves to be
“live fenced” by growing endemic
trees and shrubs.
 All traditional and cultural
practices, especially livelihoods
related to lakes, to be protected.

11. Key recommendations of the Justice N. K. Patil Committee
 Lakes which have very high
biodiversity, especially of migratory
waterfowl, will be notified for
conservation under the Wetland
(Conservation and Management
Rules), 2010, per the Environment
Protection Act, 1986.
 Promoting the involvement of local
communities in lake preservation and
restoration, the report recommends
constitution of lake management
committees involving local residents
and voluntary organisations.
 Protect the interest of traditional users
of the lakes such as dhobis
(washerpeople), fisherpeople, etc. and
public access must not be restricted.

12. Key Features of Karnataka High Court
Directions in ESG PIL on Lakes
1. Spatial extent of 38,000 lakes and interstitial canals across Karnataka to be
protected by undertaking legal survey and the maps and information made public.
2. Sewage, industrial effluents and garbage polluting lakes to immediately stop.
3. Mandatory “No Development Zone” of min. 30 metres along lake boundaries.
4. All encroachments to be removed; humane rehabilitation of poor.
5. All lakes and canals to be live fenced with endemic trees and plants with emphasis
on provision of food and nutritional security to local communities.
6. Lakes to be rehabilitated based on ecologically sensible principles and as potential
drinking water sources.
7. Desilting only when absolutely necessary; no more creation of „soup bowls‟ as is
the practice by BDA and BBMP.
8. District Lake Protection Committee to be constituted drawing representatives from
elected bodies, forest, environment and irrigation department, local communities
and experts, for monitoring maintenance and rehabilitation of lakes.
9. Apex Appellate State Lake Protection Committee set up involving the Karnataka
State Legal Services Authority, an adjunct body of the judiciary, with power to
attend to complaints relating to rehabilitation and protection of lakes.
10. State Government allocates Rs. 50 crores, with matching contributions from BBMP
and BDA to rehabilitate Bangalore lakes.

13. Karnataka High Court 7th July 2011 Direction in
ESG’s Lakes PIL seeking specific recommendations
from Justice N. K. Patil on the issue of Privatisation
and Commercialisation of Lakes

14. Justice N. K. Patil observations on issue of
Privatisation and Commercialisation of Lakes

15. Justice N. K. Patil Recommendations on issue of
Privatisation and Commercialisation of Lakes
Karnataka Government in its Affidavit before the High Court
has confirmed that it will not, any more, support privatisation
and commercialisation of lakes.

16. Little Compliance by concerned agencies in implementing the
Karnataka High Court directions
 Many Lakes continue to be cesspools, and
dumpyards for garbage and debris
 Lack of awareness of the Committee’s
recommendations among local communities and
agencies
 Lake bed areas continue to be encroached in
violation of the court order
 Lack of monitoring of violations by regulatory
agencies
 Karnataka Government is yet to constitute District
and Apex Lake Protection Committees, a year after
the order was passed, and is in Contempt of Court.

17. Success Story - Subramanyapura Lake protected with Judicial
intervention and joint efforts of local community and media

18. Lessons learnt: Community
involvement, especially Lakes
dependent Livelihoods
 Fisherfolk, Dhobis, farming and livestock
rearing communities, Harvesting of lotus are
some of the livelihoods that are dependent on
access to lakes. Involving these communities
go a long way in restoring and maintaining
lakes.
 Making lakes centres of recreation alone will
destroy them beyond repair

19. Next Steps: Suggestions and Recommendations
 Understand, appreciate and raise
awareness about the water bodies
as a whole and not individually.
 Lakes-Groundwater-Streams-
Rivers, the entire hydrologic cycle,
needs to be protected from
chemical pollution.
 Promoted “constructed wetlands”,
small scale ETPs, to cleanse water
dirtied by cities.
 Enforce rain water harvesting,
encourage local recycling, remove
surface impermeable urban surface
dressing, … let water flow.
 Reclaim Lakes as Our Commons

20. Water- Human need or right?
 "Water, say the World
Bank and the United
Nations, is a 'human
need,' not a 'human
right.'... A human need
can be supplied in many
ways, especially by those
with money. No one can
sell or trade a human
right.”
Maude Barlow, co-author
“Blue Gold: The Fight to Stop
Corporate Theft of the
World's Water”

21. UN declares Access to Water a basic human right –
Adds Article 31:
Everyone has the right to clean and
accessible water, adequate for the health
and well-being of the individual and
family, and no one shall be deprived of
such access or quality of water due to
individual economic circumstance.
 The UN has declared that access to
clean water and sanitation is a
fundamental human right.
 A non-binding resolution was passed
with 122 nations in favour, none
against and 41 abstentions.
 Abstaining countries said the
resolution could undermine a
process in the UN's Human Rights THANKYOU
Council in Geneva to build a
consensus on water rights.