Residents rally as sewage & concrete choke Sankey Tank in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: Falling water levels, increased concretisation, and the inflow of untreated sewage into Sankey Tank are threatening the survival of the historic waterbody, residents alleged Sunday during a public awareness campaign organised under the ‘Save Sankey’ initiative.

Residents of Sadashivanagar, Malleswaram and nearby areas gathered near the lake to highlight environmental concerns and demand accountability from local MLA CN Ashwath Narayan.

Shilpa Jatti, member of the residents’ group Voice of Sadashivanagar, said the locals are out to create awareness and are requesting the govt to take immediate action to stop the flow of sewage into the tank.

“Years ago, we feared people would drown because the tank was full of water. Today, seeing the water level fall so drastically has made us anxious about Sankey Tank’s survival,” said Suma BS, a resident of Subramanyanagar.

MA Sreenivasan, who lives right next to the tank, said it has undergone successive redevelopments since 2003-04. “When development works were taken up, the lake water level was raised, and this led to inundation around our house,” he said.

Congress member Anoop Iyengar, who contested the 2023 assembly elections from Malleswaram, raised the issue of multiple unwanted structures being built around the tank. “When there is already a library here, there is another one coming up on the Malleswaram side. Extra washrooms are being built, and the greenery around the tank is being reduced to mere ornamental plants. Labourers engaged in work elsewhere are housed on Sankey premises,” he said.

“A few years ago, the tank was home to migratory birds, which are now nowhere to be seen. Their nests were removed and the remaining greenery was reduced. The ‘Save Sankey’ initiative is not about any individuals or parties, but for the survival of Sankey Tank,” he said.

Inlets blocked

Manu Jagadish, another resident of Sadashivanagar, said the lake’s 11 inlets have been blocked, as a result of which rainwater from Sadashivanagar is not flowing into it. “Instead of rainwater, untreated sewage is being let in. This has been the case for around four years now. Birdwatchers and nature lovers have stopped coming to Sankey Tank,” he said.

Residents also pointed out that the old concrete base of the kalyani, which was shifted to one corner of the premises, was left on the tank bed along with steel bars and other material. They raised awareness among walkers and also performed a skit as part of the ‘Save Sankey’ initiative.