There are several objectives in the mandate of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority that are likely to disappear when the Minor Irrigation Department takes over.
While the Minor Irrigation Department has been entrusted with lakes, considering the “engineers” at their disposal, other aspects of lake conservation do not feature in their functioning.
These include research into lakes, approaching sponsors for lake development; methods to complement rejuvenation with biodiversity increase, and community participation.
All of these objectives are mentioned in the now-repealed KLCDA Act, 2014, but remain excluded from the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Act that will govern the city’s lakes.
Research projects
In the two years it was active, the KLCDA managed to complete two key research projects: the city’s first ever inventory of lakes prepared by Environmental Management & Policy Research Institute over two years at a cost of nearly ₹1.5-crore; and a geo-spatial analysis of the city’s watersheds, lakes and drains through Indian Space Research Organisation.
Seema Garg, Chief Executive Officer of KLCDA, says three more research works were in the inception stage. These included research into wetland concepts and bio-remediation.
“We have been using various wetland concepts in developing lakes in the city and we wanted to find out which one would work best for the city. Currently, all the research is from the West, but the challenges of handling sewage is different in Bengaluru,” she said.
Many researchers and activists have pointed out that the Minor Irrigation Department uses engineering concepts that may work in rain-fed rural lakes, but is likely to fail in sewage-fed city lakes where natural or artificial wetlands are the key.
The handing over has thrown up another confusion, over the functioning of the Wetlands Authority which was created on March 12. The 22-member Authority had the CEO of KLCDA as the member secretary.
With KLCDA itself dissolving, there are doubts on how the minor irrigation department will take up the role to steer a committee dominated by environment and forest department officials and experts.
Six MoUs signed
Another key aspect of the functioning of the KLCDA over the past year has been to find ways of raising funds for lake development. The KLCDA has signed six Memorandums of Understanding with corporates and non-government organisations to use Corporate Social Responsibility funds to rejuvenate lakes around Electronics City.
Talks were held with a private company for the start of development of Varthur lake, said officials, but the process is likely to be stuck in limbo over the next few months.
