Bengaluru: Taking a strong objection to the Cabinet de-notifying around 1,500 dying lakes, State JD(S) President H.D. Kumaraswamy has sought the Governor’s intervention to stop the Government move.

Quoting a Supreme Court order and recommendations by Committees headed by retired IAS officer N. Lakshman Rao on lakes in the city, as well as Committees of A.T. Ramaswamy and V. Balasubramanian on lake encroachment, Kumaraswamy alleged that there was an attempt by the Government to hand over the lakes to real estate developers.

In a letter to Governor Vajubhai R. Vala, Kumaraswamy said that because of continued dry spell, there was severe water shortage in the State, which depends on groundwater and lakes as primary sources.

There are around 25,000 lakes in the State, of which, the Government plans to de-notify 1,500. If the proposal is enforced, it would help vested interests to systematically target the lakes and kill them, he said.

Despite Lakshman Rao Committee’s recommendation to prohibit building commercial or residential areas on tank lands, the Government has de-notified 41 acres of Mathikere Lake. The Government has no clarity on the number of lakes and this shows lack of will by the Government to save or rejuvenate the water bodies, he said.