Bangalore Development Authority

Bellandur Lake

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike

By Y Maheswara ReddyThe(BDA) gears up to rejuvenate and restorethat hogged limelight for all wrong reasons in the recent years. The BDA has floated a tender, inviting bidders for preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the rejuvenation and restoration of Bellandur Lake.“As per National Green Tribunal (NGT) order, we have floated the tender for appointing a project management consultant for rejuvenation and restoration of Bellandur Lake. The consultant has to prepare a detailed report on the depth of the lake, quantity of the silt to be removed and the cost for the restoration work,’’ BDA Executive Engineer (East Division) Made Gowda.Gowda has said that BDA has short listed five bidders for this purpose and the bidders have to submit the date of completion of DPR.“We have advised them to submit technical and financial details. The last date for submitting the details is June 20. We will select the bidder who quotes the lowest price for preparing the DPR,’’ says the executive engineer.Meanwhile, Jagadish Reddy, a resident and member of Varthur Rising Group, has opined that there was no need for the BDA to float tenders inviting bidders, since the(BBMP) had engaged a private consultant in 2009 to prepare a DPR and it was ready.“There is no need for the BDA to prepare one more DPR for rejuvenation and restoration of Bellandur Lake. The BDA can save money and time by utilizing that DPR. I want the BDA to ensure quality in restoration and rejuvenation of Bellandur Lake,’’ says Jagadish Reddy.According to Sonali Singh, Citizen Changemaker, Bellandur Lake, the Indian Institute of Science recently conducted a Sonar-based bathymetric survey of Bellandur and Varthur Lakes while there was no exact data or study on the level of silting and sedimentation.“Researchers have found that where the depth of the lakes was 10 meters in 1970s, it had reduced to less than a meter at many places. Senior scientist T V Ramachandra, who conducted the study, estimates that there is 7.3 million cubic meters of silt in the two lakes,’’ says Sonali Singh.She said the study was done by the Indian Institute of Science and Madras Engineer Group (MEG) of Indian Army.“I want the authorities to remove the silt completely from the lake. If the lake is not completely desilted, percolation of water will not take place. Ground water table will not increase if water is not percolated. The DPR already exists. The BDA might have floated tenders for lake restoration,’’ she said.