South Bengaluru residents resent entry of sewage into lakes and lack of amenities

Their responses were recorded in a survey conducted by Action Aid, an NGO, among people who engaged with lakes in some form

In a survey conducted by Action Aid, an NGO, among people who engaged with lakes in some form, residents of South Bengaluru said challenges include unsafe walking paths during monsoon, plastic and garbage menace, stray dogs and cattle on the walkway, and water quality deterioration due to mixing of untreated water with the lake water.  

The survey was conducted over a period of one week in October among 394 persons who engaged in some way with Chunchaghatta, Doddakallasandra, Dorekere and Kothnur lakes. Around 83% of the respondents would frequent lakes while 43% lived in close proximity to a lake. 

Majority of the respondents complained of stinking smell emanating from the wetland and the larger lakes. More than 80 users of Doddakallasandra lake reported this issue. The corresponding figures for the other lakes were Dorekere — 47, Kothnur — 18, and Chunchaghatta — 10. 

The smell was the outcome of entry of sewage into the lakes.  

People also reported unhygienic environment due to lack of maintenance of amenities, including toilets, and lack of garbage collection and disposal facilities near the lakes. 

A report by Action Aid following the survey noted that a common challenge expressed by respondents among all the four lakes was using the walking during monsoon. The respondents found the walking paths unsafe for senior citizens and children in particular.  

Senior citizens cited encounters with stray dogs and cattle on the walking path as a major problem.