Lok Sabha Question No. 19 (STARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Rejuvenation of Lakes
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: P. C. Mohan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 19

TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2023

## Rejuvenation of Lakes

*19 SHRI P.C. MOHAN:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) the total number of lakes in Bengaluru, their current status and ecological health and any ongoing conservation or restoration efforts made by the Government;
- (b) the measures taken by the Government to address the challenges faced by the lakes in Bengaluru, such as pollution, encroachment and biodiversity loss; and
- (c) the details of specific initiatives or projects aimed at rejuvenating and preserving the lakes in Bengaluru, along with the budget allocated for these projects?

## ANSWER

MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (c)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred Question  No.  19  to  be  answered  on  Monday,  the  4 th   December,  2023  on 'Rejuvenation of Lakes' raised by Shri P.C. Mohan.

(a) & (b) As per the information provided by the State Government of Karnataka, there are a total of 204 lakes under the control of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), out of which 114 lakes are developed and 38 lakes have been taken up for development. Further, 33 lakes are undeveloped and 19 lakes are disused lakes. Along with annual maintenance of the lakes,  security  staff  has  also  been  deployed  to  avoid  encroachment,  to  control  dumping  of garbage  and  building  wastes  within  the  lake  area.  Sewage  Treatment  Plants  (STPs)  are established at  some of the lakes and the  treated  water  is  discharged  into  the  lakes.  Sewage diversion drains are constructed in most of the developed lakes to prevent the entry of sewage into the lakes. Sedimentation ponds are constructed to prevent entry of silt into the main water body. Artificial islands and green pathways have been constructed in some lakes to increase their biodiversity.

Further, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has notified the  Wetlands  (Conservation  and  Management)  Rules,  2017  under  the  provisions  of  the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 as regulatory framework for conservation and management of wetlands across the country to conserve, manage and maintain the ecological character of the wetlands without restricting the wise use. The said Rules inter-alia restrict the activities, like solid waste dumping, discharge of untreated wastes and effluents from industries, cities, towns, villages and other human settlements.

(c)  MoEF&CC  is  implementing  a  centrally  sponsored  scheme  namely,  National  Plan  for Conservation of Aquatic Ecosystems (NPCA) for conservation and management of wetlands in the  country  including  Karnataka,  on  cost  sharing  basis  between  Central  Government  and respective  State  Governments.  The  scheme  covers  various  activities  such  as  interception, diversion and treatment of wastewater,  shoreline protection, lake front  development, in-situ cleaning i.e., desilting & deweeding, storm water management, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification, survey & demarcation, bio-fencing, fisheries development, weed control, biodiversity conservation, education and awareness creation, community participation, etc.

Based on the proposals received from the State Government of Karnataka, this Ministry had sanctioned projects at a total cost of ₹ 24.27 crores during 2002-2010 for conservation of eight wetlands  in  Bengaluru,  namely  Vengaiahkere,  Nagvara,  Jarganahalli,  Lal  Bagh, Bellandur,  Gowramma, Homballama  &  Magadhi  and  central  share  of  ₹  13.794  crores  was released to Government of Karnataka for conservation and management of these wetlands. All these projects have been completed.

Further, as per the information provided by Govt. of Karnataka, 47 lakes under Nava Nagarothana  2018-19,  5  lakes  under  Subhra  Bangaluru  Solid  Waste  Management  (SWM) Grants, 8 lakes under 15 th  Finance Grants and 71 lakes under Amrutha Nagarothana 2022-23 have been developed/taken up for development with a cumulative grant/fund of approx. Rs. 590 crores.