From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Belagavi, Jun 29: Several government agencies, including the Bengaluru-based Lake Development Authority (LDA) , which have the responsibility of preservation, restoration and development of lakes in cities – Bengaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi – have become ineffective and allowed encroachment of lake beds for industrial and residential layouts, educational institutions, markets, graveyards, national highways and railway-lines.
This is the finding of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India report on “Performance audit on conservation and ecological restoration of lakes under the jurisdication of Lake Development Authority and Urban Local Bodies” of the year 2015.
The CAG report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly on the opening day of the monsoon session in Belgavi Suvarna Soudha on Monday.
The CAG has revealed that the LDA was inactive as it was not carrying out its mandated roles and responsibilities.
The CAG report, which was prepared after Joint Physical Verification, said LDA operates on skeletal staff and did not initiate measures for an integrated approach in planning and prioritisation of lakes for restoration and development.
The LDA has not collected annual rents, including interest, from two leases – Lumbini Gardens Ltd and PAR.C, amounting Rs 48.64 lakh, the CAG report said.
Interestingly, the Government agencies had not demarcated area of 53 lakes out of 56 and survey had not been completed with regard to 31 lakes.
The bye-laws of LDA stipulated that survey of lake area need to be carried out.
The report said the area of Rachenahalli lake in Bengaluru has been reduced from 168 acres to 128 acres and the area of Doddanekundi lake reduced by 24 acres.
The Allasandra lake area (14,289.36 sqft) has been granted to unauthorised occupants, the CAG said and mentioned that the LDA was not utilising the satellite data for ascertaining the actual lake area.
The State Government too admitted that the development of lakes was taken up based on fund availability and not based on comprehensive planning.
“Works were taken up in lakes in an ad-hoc manner,’’ the report said.
It said “no training on ecological restoration of lakes was given to officers of BDA, BBMP, and other ULBs.
As per the Government order of 2010, BDA has to transfer the lakes under its jurisdiction to BBMP for maintenance. However, it has not transferred till February 2015 citing financial constraints by BBMP. The maintenance of lakes had been neglected, the report said.
Lake management committees consisting of residents’ welfare associations, NGOs, were not formed in 56 lakes.
BDA had not collected cess of Rs 33.09 crore (2009-14) from building owners under its jurisdicton for rejuvenation of lakes.
“Coordination among the implementing agencies was deficient, resulting in works taken up without adequate prioritisation, construction of sewage, diversion channels, fencing without removal of encroachments etc” the report said.
The CAG said Grievance Redressal Mechanism was ineffective as there was no move towards establishing a single window grievance redressal cell.