Expecting a big crowd on an early Sunday morning to discuss plans to clean up a lake may seem a bit far-fetched. But for those of us who did attend the event at Madiwala Lake on 22nd March, it was a learning experience. The event was organised by Arghyam, a public charitable foundation working in the water sector, in association with RideACycle Foundation (RAC-F), a Bangalore-based, non-profit organisation that encourages and promotes sustainable transport and Sampada, an online Kannada community.

Marking World Water Day, this event was held to raise awareness about the state of this 280 acre lake, by involving members of the community and senior government functionaries. Though none of the invited officials made it to the event, it didn’t dampen the spirits of those present.

Madiwala lake (Pic: Meera K)

The Lake Development Authority's (Karnataka) website states that “Madivala Lake was subjected to intense pollution, with the blockage of inflow channels, encroachments into the catchment area and inflow of sewage water. All these had transformed the lake into a very large sewage pool. Madiwala Lake, which was once, a fresh water tank, was fully covered with thick growth water hyacinth, thus preventing aeration and affecting the bio-diversity of flora and fauna. Presently the lake is restored under Indo-Norwegian Environment Programme (INEP) and is in good condition." INEP was the Indo-Norwegian Environment Programme funded by the Norwegian government.

But the ground reality is far from that claim. Murali Ramnath, member, RAC-F, explained the problems plaguing the lake. He said that the sewage treatment plant near the lake is not fully functional. Last year, the Karnataka HC had directed the state government to monitor lake development activities. This was in response to a PIL filed by B Krishna Bhat, seeking a direction to preserve and protect water bodies in the State. The petition also said that sewage was being let into lakes and it was killing the water body.

The BWSSB has made a canal to let sewage water into the lake, says Ramnath. Ramnath who has been conducting a study on the lake, says that parts of the lake have really black water. “We have to ask (Range Forest Office) to do a proper survey, find out who the area (around the lake) belongs to, and also make sure there is no encroachment," Ramnath said.

Vaishnavi Vittal is a staff journalist with Citizen Matters.

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