Harohalli Lake in trouble? The lake officials don’t care to know the cause!
On the 27th, the Lake Walkers invited environmental activists to visit Harohalli Lake in North Bangalore. This 90-acre lake has significant water storage capacity. Members of the Green Circle visited the lake. They found 12 dead fish. These fish ranged in size from 12 to 18 inches. They were located along the lake’s periphery. To their surprise, they also found two dead pelicans, and one was in a dying condition. Dr. Selvarajan of Green Circle suspects that the fish died due to a deficiency of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in the water. Another possibility he considers is contamination from untreated sewage entering the lake. Green Circle raised this issue with the Commissioner of the Greater Bangalore Authority (GBA) and the Fisheries Department. They have also contacted the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB). The lake Managers perhaps been instructed to remove the dead fish and pelicans. But it is unclear whether any further actions will be taken to prevent future deaths. The next steps to prevent future fatalities remain unclear. Dr. Selvarajan poses an important question: “If authorities claim the deaths were caused by low oxygen levels due to extremely cold conditions, then why did the pelicans die? These resilient birds are usually capable of surviving harsh weather.” Another local resident emphasized the urgent need for a thorough investigation into the quality of the water, stressing the importance of finding out whether similar tragic incidents have been reported in other lakes.
A Walk for Lake awareness campaign was organised by Green Circle on 7.12.25 at Avalahalli lake, Yelahanka, Bangalore. More than 1000 participated in the program. The walk started at Avalahalli lake with Yelahanka MLA S R Viswanath in the forefront along with Green Circle volunteers, Gram panchayat members, residents from the local apartments & layouts, Avalahalli village, BMS IT&M volunteers, NSS, NCC and Rotaract club. Children from Charitable institutions like People’s Trust and Vidya Gokula also joined the rally and staged cultural programs highlighting the need for saving the lake. A human chain and Aarthi were also staged during the rally. Nanje Gowda, Patron of Green Circle, says, ‘The city was once known for its numerous lakes. At one point, it boasted over 1,000 lakes; however, due to extensive urbanisation and extensive encroachment, that number has dwindled to fewer than 200.’ Residents were concerned that Avalahalli Lake could suffer the same fate as other lakes if timely action is not taken. A group of vigilant citizens, under the banner of Green Circle, launched a movement to save the lake four years ago. Navigating this task proved challenging, as the lake is surrounded by a maze of apartment buildings and a diverse array of layouts. Each twist and turn added an intriguing layer to the experience! Green Circle decided to engage residents, authorities and panchayat members. Yelahanka MLA S R Viswanath pledged his support. Green Circle found that the lake was home to about 75 bird species. Ramachandra, Vice President of Green Circle, says, ‘We found that illegal activities, including fishing and open defecation, are rampant as the lake had neither a fence nor a security guard. The water quality was poor and polluted. The inlets and outlets were clogged. We took up the matter with the local Panchayat Authorities and BBMP (now GBA). ‘We realized that the water quality is bad because the nearby colonies throw the untreated sewage into the lake,’ adds Kumar Kalyandurg, Secretary of Green Circle. Vidyasagar Arya from Green Circle coordinated with municipal authorities to apprise them of the need to survey the feeder canal (Kaluve) that connects to the nearby Krishna Sagara Lake. Chairman of Green Circle V Selvarajan says, ‘The canal is currently not linked to the lake, which leads to frequent flooding during the rainy season. Although the Panchayat began restoring the canal, the work was delayed due to a petition from some residents against the Kaluve rejuvenation, as the route passes through their plots. The present walk is to impress the locals about the urgent need to connect the lakes. The walk for lake awareness event started from Avalahalli lake and walked alongside the proposed canal and reached the Krishna Sagara lake, from where the canal originates. The walk ended at Avalahalli lake after the MLA inspected the Kaluve and its encroachment points. Singanayakanahalli Panchayat President Amravathamma also joined the walk. Other Panchayat members included Muni Reddy, Keshavmurthy, Prasanth Reddy, Manjunath, Nanje Gowda, Kran Kumar, Babu, Sathish Reddy, Girish, and others participated. From Green Circle Selvarajan, Ramachandra, Vasanth Kumar Shetty, Kumar Kalyandurg, Vidhyasagar Arya, Sandip Kumar Mukhopodhyay, Biju, Virabathrappa, and Vidya Badri joined the walk. Nanje Gowda, patron of Green Circle, proposed the vote of thanks
GREEN CIRCLE 