Water hyacinth chokes Hebbal Lake

Mysore/Mysuru: Ten months after the Hootagalli City Municipal Council (CMC) — now part of the Greater Mysuru City Corporation — resumed daily clean-up drives and pledged to protect the waterbody, Hebbal Lake is once again suffocating under a toxic mix of untreated sewage, industrial effluents and rampant water hyacinth.

The invasive weed has engulfed the 54-acre Lake, transforming it from a waterbody into what resembles a manicured green lawn. Every day, blackened sewage, animal waste, plastic debris and chemical-laced runoff pour through its inlets, steadily poisoning the ecosystem.

What was once a thriving habitat for aquatic life and migratory birds has degenerated into a foul-smelling, stagnant swamp.

Sewage from Hebbal, Lakshmikanth Nagar and surrounding residential layouts continues to flow unchecked into Lake, while chemical effluents from nearby industries compound the contamination.

No regular maintenance

The absence of regular maintenance and the failure to provide outlets for excess water have worsened stagnation, allowing invasive species such as water hyacinth and lantana to spread unchecked.

This ecological collapse occurred nine years after the Infosys Foundation invested Rs. 105 crore to rejuvenate the lake under a flagship restoration programme launched in 2016, under the leadership of Dr Sudha Murty. Today, despite that ambitious CSR initiative, Hebbal lake stands as a grim symbol of civic neglect and unchecked urbanisation.

The environmental fallout has been severe. Toxic water has wiped out fish and other aquatic species, while the stench has driven away birds that once flocked to the lake’s four islands, leaving the vast expanse eerily silent.

Even the trees along the periphery appear to be withering.

Unbearable stench

For nearly 500 walkers who use the 2.1-km track around the lake every morning and evening, the stench has become unbearable.

The Infosys Foundation had also installed a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) with a capacity of 80 lakh litres per day, treating about 60 lakh litres daily to meet Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) norms.

However, with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) and Hootagalli CMC failing to sustain the effort, the lake has once again slipped into decline.

In March 2025, following reports in Star of Mysore and Mysuru Mithra, Hootagalli City Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner B.N. Chandrashekar deployed boats and staff to clean the Lake.

But the lack of sustained maintenance has undone those efforts, leaving Hebbal lake once again in ruin. It is a stark reminder of how civic apathy can undo even Mysuru’s costliest lake restoration projects.

MCC to acquire machine to clear water hyacinth

Last March, we ourselves cleaned Hebbal Lake. But until the inflow of waste from residential and industrial areas is stopped, the problem will persist. We will now send staff to inspect the situation, coordinate with the relevant departments and take the necessary action. —B.N. Chandrashekar, Commissioner, Hootagalli City Municipal Council

Hebbal Lake is overrun with water hyacinth and to tackle this, the Mysuru City Corporation plans to acquire a machine similar to the one BBMP uses in Bengaluru. With the Greater Mysuru City Corporation coming into effect, Hebbal lake and several other lakes will fall under its jurisdiction. It makes sense to have our own equipment to maintain them. In the coming days, the MCC will take direct responsibility for managing the lake. —C.S. Manju, Superintending Engineer, Mysuru City Corporation

The inflow of untreated sewage and industrial waste into the Hebbal lake must be stopped. Confusion over whether the lake falls under the Chamundeshwari or Chamaraja Constituency has led to neglect. As a result, aquatic life has perished and birds no longer visit. If the authorities fail to act, morning walkers are prepared to stage a protest. —R. Ravi (Delhi), President, Hebbal Lake Protection Committee