Malligavad Foundation, a well-known environmental NGO, is in the dock as the chief officer of Chandapura town Municipal Council has filed a complaint against it for allegedly damaging Heelalige Lake in Attibele on Monday.
Based on the complaint filed by Srinivas, chief officer from Chandapura TMC, the Sarjapura police registered an FIR charging Malligavad Foundation and its owner under The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act, section 430 (Mischief by injury to works of irrigation or by wrongfully diverting water) and 447 (trespass) for further investigation.
Mr. Srinivas, in his complaint, said the foundation had undertaken lake rejuvenation and development work without getting prior permission and damaged the area with many unscientific works.
The inspection conducted by the officials found many flaws in the development work based on the complaint filed by the Anekal farmers’ committee. The committee earlier filed a complaint with the Chief Minister’s Office, accusing Malligavad Foundation, backed by a private company, of making drastic changes to the lake design unauthorizedly and destroying the flora and fauna of the lake.
The committee, in its complaint, explained how a ring bund was created around the lake to block all the water coming to the lake. As a result, now the lake is unable to impound rainwater coming from the catchment area, which in turn has severely depleted the groundwater in the area, and created a severe water shortage in the area. The committee had demanded legal action against the foundation and recovery of damages done to the lake.