G B Athri

Madivala Lake

KSPCB

BWSSB

BDA

LDA

How the ROAD PROJECT ON TANK BUND was scuppered

ATHRI’S ROAD TO VICTORY

Wg Cdr (Retd)’s fight to save and beautifyhas created history in BengaluruAformer Indian Air Force officer fought tooth-and-nail against all odds to come up trumps with a model that can be replicated across city neighbourhoods to improve the conditions of lakes in their respective areas.Wg Cdr (Retd) G B Athri’s fight to save, preserve, conserve and beautify Madivala Lake has created history in Bengaluru. His activism has led to constituting a watchdog committee for a lake which has Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (), Bangalore Development Authority (), and Lake Development Authority () on it.On Thursday, the committee, with Athri on it, achieved what LDA couldn’t all by itself – it shelved a project by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to construct a road on the tank bund, connecting Hosur Road and BTM layout, to give a fresh lease of life to Madivala Lake. The watchdog committee rejected the proposed project concluding that the project was a potential threat to the lake and its eco-system, in turn, that could well destroy one of the few surviving lakes in the city.This is the first time in Bengaluru that a watchdog committee with so many government agencies on it has been constituted, which acts as a policy formulating and protecting entity to protect a lake – in this case, the Madivala Lake.Resident welfare associations (RWAs) across the city – especially those with endangered lakes under their jurisdictions – could well take a leaf out of Wg Cdr Athri’s accomplishment to ensure that our lakes are protected, that too with the combined muscle power of the relevant government agencies.It has been a long and arduous route from activism to the formation of the watchdog committee for Wg Cdr Athri, a resident of Saraswathinagar on Bannerghatta road. In January 2014, Athri first took up cases of three lakes in his neighbourhood – Madivala, Arakere and Hulimavu – and like any other member of an RWA, resorted to petitions and complaints.However, unlike in other cases, Wg Cdr Athri went the extra mile. He got the lake waters tested in the KSPCB labs. The samples showed that the water samples were of class ‘E’ -- which meant the water was fit for industrial use but being consumed by thousands of birds and animals.The report, and continued flowing of untreated sewage and effluents contaminating water body, made him even more determined in his resolve to overcome this problem that posed a threat to the lakes. He made KSPCB form a lake watchdog committee comprising citizens and officials from all stakeholders last year.His pursuit led to a show cause notice being issued to the BWSSB chairman, and later in February 2015 – for the first time – KSPCB ordering prosecution proceedings against the BWSSB chairman, chief engineer, superintending engineer and executive engineer for their failure to prevent water contamination in these three lakes.The LDA had earlier cleared the BBMP project to construct a 20-feet-wide road on the tank bund – a bypass connecting Hosur road and BTM layout, sources said. Mooted to be a project to decongest the area, in March 2013 LDA was asked to relinquish 8,624.60 sq m of the lake area for constructing the road with about a kilometre in length. It was cleared by both LDA and the forest department (the custodian of the lake) initially after alleged political intervention.However, things changed with the lake watchdog committee’s intervention last year. Ironically, instead of LDA (which should have rejected the proposed project), it was the watchdog committee deciding to reject it; and the forest department, which is custodian of the lake, rejected the same.The forest department after an inspection on September 5, rejected the road project proposal. And after deciding against the proposed project, asked LDA to immediately withdraw its earlier-given permission.The same was approved by the lake watchdog committee on September 24.This was perceived as a logic end to an issue which Athri pursued, starting as a resident to playing a key role in the formation of watchdog committee on lakes, and finally getting the proposed project threatening the lake ecosystem, rejected. The committee, while rejecting the proposal, has asked the LDA to communicate the same to the government within 30 days.“It’s been a long way. First, it was samples on the quality of water; then the formation of the committee; and then the criminal case against the BWSSB top brass. Now, the Thursday decision by the watchdog committee is a landmark one as it rejected the proposal of constructing a road, as the road in turn would give gave to commercial activities. That would lead to further depleting the lake. This could be repeated with every lake if residents volunteer. I will help each of them form the committee,” Athri told Mirror.The watchdog committee is result of a complaint Athri filed in January 2014. Madivala lake being a historic lake with rich past and few surviving lakes, he had sought KSPCB to form the lake watchdog committee under section 17 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, which empowers an authority for any policy formation to achieve purpose of the section to protect the water bodies. As Wg Cdr Athri pursued three important lakes, after joint discussions KSPCB, through a notification, set up the lake watchdog committee comprising all stakeholders including the civilians. The committee, unlike the RWAs, has a legal and official sanctity, and is the official body that oversees protection of the lake.The forest department is the custodian of Madivala Lake. They have submitted that the permission [for the road] should be withdrawn and that the construction cannot be allowed. The lake watchdog committee has approved the same. The committee decided to follow the directives of the courts.We have to follow the High Court and Supreme Court guidelines in this regard. The lake watchdog committee has rejected the proposal to construct the road. However, LDA has so far not approved any construction and will not approve it on the tank bund of the lake as we are bound by court directives.Project to construct a bypass mooted to decongest the IT corridor through a bypass connecting Hosur road and BTM layout.Request made to LDA seeking 8,624.60 Sq m of the lake area and subsequently LDA refuses permission.District in-charge minister R Ramalinga Reddy revisits the project, directs officials to take up the project and the proposal was resubmitted stating that 10.5 meter road would be constructed.Forest department gives concurrence to build 20-meter road.The watchdog committee is formed.Committee meets and decides to oppose the clearance and push for withdrawal of clearances givenLake watchdog committee, which had opposed giving permission and forest department carries out joint inspection, decides to reject clearance.Forest department writes to CEO, LDA to withdraw clearance making its stand clear against the project.The lake watchdog committee including KSPCB, LDA, BWSSB, BDA, BBMP, Forest department, and lake walkers’ welfare association approves the decision to withdraw permission and asks LDA to communicate it to government within 30 days.