The Bengaluru Urban district administration on Thursday launched a demolition drive around the Sarakki Lake near JP Nagar in Bengaluru South to rid the expansive water body of encroachments and reclaimed land worth Rs 2,000 crore.





Of its 82 acres and 24 guntas, the lake has lost 38 acres and 14 guntas to illegal occupation over a period of about 30 years.



Spread across Sarakki, Jaraganahalli and Puttenahalli, the lake is divided among three Assembly constituencies — Bengaluru South, Jayanagar and Bommanahalli.



According to district authorities, 178 houses, 15 temples, seven apartments, a government school, a dental college and hospital, eight petty shops, three playgrounds, a PWD building and a BWSSB facility have come up on the lake land.



Even the BBMP has built a road around the lake. The demolition drive is expected to continue for a week. District authorities swung into action after the Karnataka High Court cracked the whip following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the People’s Campaign for Right to Water and the local residents’ welfare groups. The action came almost four years after filing the PIL.



Headed by the assistant commissioners of North, South and Enforcement Department, three teams comprising about 330 officials and policemen carried out the demolition drive at 6 pm. Nearly 25 earth-movers, trucks, tippers and trackers were pressed into service.



Blow by blow, the earth movers bulldozed all the temporary structures while permanent structures, too, bore the brunt of the operation.



As the earth-movers reached near their targets, dwellers with tears in their eyes came begging with the district officials to spare their “small dwelling”.



But the determined officials went ahead. The drive sent a shock wave across the residents of an apartment, which is believed to have come up on the lake land. The authorities have decided to book cases against the apartment and houses, which are letting untreated water into the lake.



Speaking to reporters, Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner V Shankar said Sarakki lake eviction was the biggest operation in the recent past.



“We had prepared for the operation for almost a week and finally we launched. We are also working on an aerial survey of the lake,” said Shankar.



Pollution unlimited



The lake is highly contaminated due to heavy influx of sewage and untreated water from nearby factories.



Replete with weeds and water hyacinth, it is a breeding place for mosquitoes and poisonous insects. All the houses and apartments in the area have brazenly connected sewerage directly into the lake. While unbearable stench emanating from the lake makes it difficult to go near it, a huge human settlement lives around it bearing the reek.