A file photo of Sarakki lake.
| Photo Credit: Bhagya Prakash K

In the aftermath of relentless rains that lashed Bengaluru over the past few days, 63 out of the 183 lakes under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) jurisdiction have reached full capacity.  

According to data released by BBMP on May 21, the most affected zones include Yelahanka, which has 19 lakes filled to capacity; Rajarajeshwari Nagar (R.R. Nagar) with 16 lakes full; Mahadevapura with 13 lakes full; and Bommanahalli with 7 lakes that have reached their maximum levels.

These areas have witnessed particularly heavy downpours over the last four days, resulting in rapid lake inflow. Mahadevapura zone alone has 17 lakes reporting water levels above 75% capacity, while Bommanahalli has 15 lakes in the same category.

A total of 40 lakes has water levels exceeding 75% of their capacity, another 42 lakes are filled between 50% and 75%, 20 lakes hold between 25% and 50%, and 18 lakes have water levels up to 25%. 

The BBMP’s lakes department stated that it has deployed cleaning teams to clear canals and surroundings of the lakes. Waste such as plastic debris, sticks, and garbage brought in by rainwater runoff has been removed to prevent further blockage and stagnation. 

However, environmentalist Raghavendra B. Pachhapur said that cleaning the surroundings of the lake is not enough. “Filling lakes with polluted water, that is a mix of sewage and rainwater, is not an achievement. The BBMP needs to work on making a way for pure rainwater from surrounding areas to reach the lake. This reduces pollution at lakes and preserves lake water quality under class D, suitable for wildlife and fisheries. As per Karnataka State Pollution Control Board’s (KSPCB) published lake water quality reports in the last one year, nearly 33% of the lakes are found to be under class E in Bengaluru, which is suitable for irrigation and industrial usage purposes only,” he explained. 

Published – May 22, 2025 04:51 pm IST