BBMP takes over Bengaluru’s Mallappa Lake

The management of the 500-acre Mallappa Shetty Lake (Y.M.S. Lake) located in KR Puram has been officially transferred from the Minor Irrigation Department to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), following a decision prompted by administrative challenges and funding limitations.

Confirming the development, B.K. Pavithra, Secretary of the Minor Irrigation Department, said the lake falls under the jurisdiction of urban local bodies and requires substantial investment for rejuvenation. The decision follows a recommendation from MLA Rizwan Arshad, who chairs the legislative joint review committee for the Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill. Arshad highlighted BBMP’s capacity and funds to take up the lake’s development.

Locals have raised concerns over the lake’s current condition, citing garbage dumping, broken fencing, and pollution caused by sewage inflow from nearby residential areas. Residents demand stricter monitoring and penalties for violations. Reviving the lake, they believe, will help replenish local borewells and improve the ecosystem. Dr. Lingaraj Gandhi, grandson of Lake Founder Ele Mallappa Shetty, noted that with 25 upstream lakes from Hebbal contributing to the lake’s pollution, a coordinated inter-departmental approach is essential. He urged agencies like BWSSB and BDA to actively participate in cleanup and restoration efforts.

The lake’s control shift aligns with previous transfers of other urban lakes to BBMP. While the Minor Irrigation Department can fund rural lake development, BBMP is expected to independently manage those within its administrative limits. The transfer is seen as a key step toward restoring one of East Bengaluru’s critical water bodies.