• MDA map demarcates Kurubarahalli Survey No. 4 area as a water body
• Compound wall appears suddenly, overnight; lake disappears
• Tahsildar inspects lake area

Mysore/Mysuru: A lake in K.C. Layout (Kempu Cheluvajammanni Layout) near the foot of Chamundi Hill, is allegedly being encroached upon by certain private individuals. Making use of back-to-back Government holidays, a compound wall has quietly come up around the lake.

Two boards have been put up at the site. One refers to 23 guntas of land and the other mentions 3.17 acres, both claiming ownership and warning the public against trespassing. The boards also state that legal action will be taken against anyone trespassing.

MDA map shows lake

The land falls under Kurubarahalli Survey No. 4 and is being claimed as private property. However, official maps of the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) clearly show the area as a lake. The maps also indicate Rajakaluves (primary stormwater drains) connected to it, leaving little doubt that it is a Government-owned water body. As per norms, natural water bodies and water-holding areas are

Government property. Accordingly, MDA has marked this lake in its maps using water-body indicators.

Soil dumping

Despite this, over the past two days, truckloads of soil have been dumped at the site. The land has been levelled, a compound wall erected and a security guard deployed.

Residents have alleged that the lake is being systematically encroached upon. In recent years, several lakes in Mysuru have disappeared without any trace.

In Bengaluru, large-scale destruction of lakes has led to flooding and serious environmental damage, causing hardship to residents. People fear Mysuru may now be heading down the same path.

Officials, residents say, appear unaware of the seriousness of the situation. While MDA has granted permission for residential layouts around the lake and approved land conversion, it has failed to protect the lake, which is clearly shown as a water body in its own records.

Protecting Government property is everyone’s responsibility. The Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) and the Revenue Department must take the necessary steps to safeguard such public assets. I will comment on this after collecting details from officials. — Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mysuru-Kodagu MP

As soon as I came to know about the issue, I visited the spot and inspected the area. Residents confirmed that it is a lake. However, the owners of the adjacent land are claiming that this portion also belongs to them. I was told that an earlier attempt to erect fencing had been removed by the Tahsildar.

I have once again brought the matter to the Tahsildar’s notice and he has assured me that he will inspect the site and submit a report.

I will also bring this to the attention of the Deputy Commissioner and consult Mysuru Development Authority’s legal team to gather more information. If there is any encroachment of the lake, it will not be allowed to continue. Protecting the lake is everyone’s responsibility and I also have a duty to ensure this. — T.S. Srivatsa, Krishnaraja Constituency MLA