Bengaluru Lakes: High Court Directs BBMP, Sewage Board, PCB & Other State Authorities To Jointly Prepare Plan For Removing Encroachments

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), State Urban Development and Revenue Departments, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to jointly come out with an action plan to remove all encroachments on Storm Water Drains and lakes in Bengaluru City.

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice M G S Kamal took on record the compliance affidavit filed by the Chief Commissioner of BBMP, wherein it was stated that pursuant to suggestions in the NEERI report, some remedial measures are undertaken by BBMP.

One of the important remedial measures is in the form of creating grievance redressal mechanisms with assistance of advanced technology— namely creating and upgradation of Shaaya App which allows the citizens to lodge complaints and also seek report of action taken on such complaints.

Taking note of the other remedial measures suggested in the affidavit the bench said, “Now enough material is available with the respondents and stakeholders and the need of the hour is now a progression from suggestions to an action.”

Following which it directed the above named authorities to consider an action plan. For submitting such action report the stakeholders may take appropriate assistance and help from the District Lake Protection Authority. The Court also said,

“So as to achieve the purpose of action report effectively, the Secretary of High Court Legal Services Authority is directed to act as coordinator and he should take steps so as to specifying appropriate and competent officers of stakeholders and convene meetings of these stakeholders and to circulate agenda of meeting and finalise minutes of meetings and to undertake any other responsibility for the effective compliance of action report.”

Finally the Court suggested that the State government may also take immediate steps for issuing notification for appointment of the designated officers under the Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Act or BBMP Act as the case may be.

The directions were given while hearing a petition filed by Citizens Action Group and others, seeking preservation and protection of lakes in the city. In one of the hearings, the Court had remarked that Bengaluru was inundated with rain water as BBMP failed to perform its statutory duties of removal of encroachments. The remarks were made after perusal of a report indicating encroachment on parts of Begur Lake, Subramanyapura Lake and Puttenahalli Lake.

The Court has now posted the matter for further hearing on September 4.

Case Title: CITIZENS ACTION GROUP v THE STATE OF KARNATAKA & Others

Case No: WP 38401/2014