I belong to a group of women, and we call ourselves BULBs…Bangalore Urban Lady-Birders. One of our favourite destinations to go birding (or bird-watching) is…Kommaghatta Lake (in Kengeri).

Yesterday we went birding to Manchinabele Reservoir and several of us planned to go to Kommaghatta Lake this morning.

One of us did visit…and found that the lake had…disappeared.

Here’s part of her message:

"sorry for sending bad news your way so early, ….i reached the *erstwhile* kommaghatta lake and found no sign of it… I could hardly believe my eyes… the entire lake is GONE, disappeared, lake bed dredged up and big mounds lying all over the place. walked across the lake bed… i meant to walk the entire stretch but after a point didn’t have the heart to do it…. still can’t get over the anger and the shock….
no cheers,
-g"

The anguish we all feel speaks through those strong words. How DARE BBMP dry up our water bodies like this? Have they no sense? I read last week that BBMP does not want to plant any more trees in Bangalore  because "the roots are shallow". This may be true of the Rain trees and the Spathodeas (which are from Africa) …but what about planting banyan trees, neem trees or mango trees instead? Our old roads and highways had shelter for wayfarers, and sheltered wildlife and birds, and gave welcome shade even to motorized vehiccles.

What on earth is wrong with our present government that they are so extremely shortsighted?

Is there some way we can get the BBMP to account for the disappearance of Kommaghatta Lake?

I am told that Jakkur Lake has been similarly drained. I am truly anguished. Should I stand by and see my city being murdered and literally dried to death in this fashion? NOTHING will bring back the trees and the lakes once they are going. We can just have "Sampangi Tank Road" and "Miller Road Tank Bed" as road signs, that’s all.

Click here to see where Kommaghatta Lake is….was…situated.

And click here to see what the lake is looking like today….