Over the past two years, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is the custodian of lakes in the city, has not renewed any maintenance Memorandums of Understanding that it had with various citizens’ groups and a few non-governmental organisations. With no MoUs currently in place, citizens’ groups that were once maintaining the lakes are strapped for funds.
The MoUs have not been renewed as the High Court of Karnataka is hearing a public interest litigation plea on the issue. Recently, the court directed the Government to wait for further orders in the case before signing or executing any MoU with private corporate entities.
Annapurna Kamath from Jalaposhan, a citizens’ group that has been active in the maintenance of Jakkur lake, said that their MoU with the BBMP lapsed in 2020. “Following the outbreak of the pandemic, the CSR (corporate social responsibility) funding was cut down,” she said.
However, now with the COVID-19 cases reducing, many organisations were coming forward to support with CSR funds. “But with no MoU in place, the organisations cannot give us funds. We are stuck with no funding. We have been able to raise some funds through community fund raising,” she said and added that if the MoUs are not renewed, the city may lose the few lakes that were rejuvenated and developed through active citizens’ involvement.
Concurring, Prabhashankar Rai, president and managing trustee of Chinnappanahalli Lake Development Trust (R), said the developed lakes were in poor condition due to lack of any maintenance following lapse of MoUs. “At least, the lakes should be left with the direct beneficiaries. There should be some solution for the lakes,” he stated.
V. Ramaprasad from Friends of Lakes, an organisation of various citizens volunteering to maintain lakes, pointed out that as per the court directions, district lake protection committees have to be set up. He also said that the citizens’ participation could be modelled after the Jala Samvardhini Yojane Sangha (JSYS), a World Bank-funded programme. The district lake protection committees could oversee smaller committees with all stakeholders as members, including citizens, authorities of various departments such as BBMP, Fisheries, and the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA).
The JSYS programme, which was a community-based tank management project, was implemented between 2002 and 2012. Under the programme, 3,700 tanks in 18 districts were rejuvenated with the active involvement of as many tank users’ groups that had 11.6 lakh members totally, said Punati Sridhar, retired forest official who spearheaded the second phase of the programme.
Mr. Sridhar, who is also the founder of Jalamitra, a citizens’ group that was involved in development of Rachenahalli lake, said that a similar model could be adopted in the city. Citizens’ groups with all stakeholders could be entrusted with the responsibility of drawing up annual action plans or 5-year development plans, which could then be verified by the departments concerned. This will ensure greater transparency and accountability in lake management in the city, he added.
N.S. Mukund from Bengaluru Praja Vedike, who has filed the PIL in the High Court, said that citizens’ groups or user communities should be involved in maintenance of the stormwater drain connectivity between the lakes as well. There are 218 lakes in the city, of which at least 80% could be revived. He, however, said that for this to happen, the five chains of lakes in the city should have independent stormwater drain network, ensuring no entry of raw sewage. “Unless we act now, the city’s lakes may be lost,” he said.
Officials from BBMP and KTCDA were unavailable for comment despite several attempts.
