Communities around the two lakes indicate concern about BWSSB STPs coming to the bottom of the lakes

Hulimavu Lake in Bengaluru. | Photo credit: File Photo

Communities living around Soulkere and Hulimavu lakes have raised concerns about the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) planning to build new sewage treatment plants (STPs) inside the lake beds of these lakes.

The Bengaluru Lakes Federation, a coalition of stakeholder communities around the city’s lakes, has also asked the BWSSB to reconsider the location.

BWSSB plans to construct 40 MLD STP at Soulkere and 15 MLD STP at Hulimavu Lake. Work has already begun in Soulker.

“The lake bed is a protected zone where no construction activity is allowed. Several NGT orders have emphasized the need to maintain buffer zones around lakes. The Wetlands (Protection and Management) Rules, 2017 prohibit permanent construction within a defined distance from the lake bed (around 50 meters) that allows only minimal, non-intrusive activities,” FBL said in its letter.

“STPs should not compromise the ecological integrity and original water holding capacity of the lake itself, leading to flooding. STPs must be located outside the lake bed either in buffer zones or at catch points of sewers,” he further said.

Communities raise concerns

“Soulkere is one of the birding sites that features on the Great Indian Bird Count every year and has exceptionally good biodiversity. An STP on three of the 10 acres of the lake bed will kill the lake. The BWSSB is aggressively filling this area with silt to build the STP. We have repeatedly seen encroachment into the buffer zones at Chiangeshwaref and even there Raaheshwaref M. Mahash has had no action on the ground for years. it says that the buffer zone is violated and that building an STP at the bottom of the lake is unacceptable,” said a resident living around Soulkere.

Another resident living around Lake Hulimavu said the lake was meant for flood mitigation. The lake has ruptured leading to several floods, most recently in 2019. “If the lake is to act as a flood mitigation tool, it must have water retention capacity. However, BWSSB wants to tap into the lake bed, build an STP and keep the lake full all the time. Hulimavu lake already has a 10 MLD STP, which is said to be unable to be built in 2021, but now a new one is said to have been built, but is being constructed, a 15 MLD capacity STP on the lake bed,” he said.

V. Ramprasad, FBL president, said the Federation is appealing to the BWSSB to reconsider its decision. “We are not against the STP and we want to cooperate with the board. But the priority is the ecological integrity of the lake bed. If the board persists, we are open to approaching the World Bank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), whose funding these projects use, and draw attention to the damage to the lakes,” he said.

Buffer zones have been encroached upon

Sources said BWSSB was forced to decide to construct STPs on wetlands, lakes where buffer zones were completely disturbed and developed

BWSSB chairman V. Ram Prasath Manohar said the board is not violating any norms and their DPRs have been approved by the Karnataka Tank Protection and Development Authority. “These lakes are in critical condition and STPs are being built to save them. We have decided to desilt these lakes to compensate for the loss of carrying capacity due to STPs,” he said.

Published – 23 May 2026 23:36 IST