The recent floods that hit the city has again triggered a Storm Water Drain (SWD) encroachment clearance drive like many times before. But the city’s civic body feels the floods earlier this month were mainly caused by overflowing lakes.
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said a total of 162 lakes were filled to the brim, of which 126 breached. A similar situation prevailed in 2016 as well, causing widespread floods in the south eastern parts of the city. The worst hit areas during the floods earlier this month were between the overflowing Bellandur and Varthur lakes.
This only points to severely dwindled water-holding capacity of our lakes, say lake conservation experts. With no programme to desilt lakes regularly, the water-holding capacity of lakes is severely compromised, they argue. A study has shown that in the year 1800, the city’s water bodies had a cumulative capacity to hold 35 tmcft of water. The average rainfall the city receives today is estimated around 15 tmcft of water and this year, it was only marginally higher. However, if most of the city’s lakes are overflowing and there are floods, it only means their holding capacity has dwindled severely.
