A file photo of a parched lake on the eastern outskirts of Bengaluru.
With hundreds of water bodies across Karnataka running dry amid growing drought concerns, the govt has drawn up a ₹150-crore World Bank-assisted programme to revive 500 lakes, a move aimed at strengthening water security rather than merely restoring depleted water bodies. The World Bank-assisted programme envisages desilting lakes, repairing and strengthening bunds, raising bund heights wherever necessary, restoring feeder channels and improving the surrounding areas. The objective of the programme is not simply to increase the amount of water a lake can hold, but to restore the network of catchments and channels that allows rainwater to remain in the landscape. Water experts and hydrologists have always argued that a functioning lake and feeder system can slow the flow of rainwater, prevent rapid runoff and allow more water to infiltrate into the soil, thereby contributing to groundwater recharge. This could be particularly important for Bengaluru, where groundwater has remained a crucial source of water for several localities. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The city’s lakes may be at their lowest ebb after weeks of prolonged dry weather, but the worsening water stress has also opened a narrow window to prepare them before the rains return.