From oasis to obscurity: Disappearing lakes of Bengaluru
Bellandur Lake, once a vibrant water body, now infamous for its toxic foam and frequent fires caused by chemical effluents (Photo by Rohit Saxena/YouTube)
Though its origins date back to the 16th century, Bengaluru’s importance as a city began from the mid-19th century as an administrative and military centre of the British colonial administration.
After the independence, large-scale investments by the government in setting up high-level educational centres as well as large public sector factories and institutions including in the defence, aeronautics as well as advanced sciences, led to the emergence of Bengaluru as one of the best pools of talent in India.
By the late 1980s, with the emergence of private sector tech companies like Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys or Wipro, Bengaluru had all that it needed to become India’s Silicon Valley and in the last four decades, with mounting investments in technology and talent, Bengaluru has become one of the global centres of excellence in all-things tech.
In the period, city’s population has risen almost 20 times from an estimated 746,000 in 1950 to over 14 million today. But while the government managed very well the growth of the city as a tech power centre, it has failed on all the other aspects of regulating the growth of the city, notably in urban development, with mushrooming of homes, offices and markets almost without any control, at a tremendous cost to the city’s natural resources, notably its celebrated biodiversity and huge water bodies that had earned Bengaluru the moniker of ‘city of lakes’.
As Bengaluru transformed into India’s Silicon Valley, the lakes began to suffer. According to Indian Institute of Science (IISC), in the 1960s, Bengaluru had 1,452 lakes, most of them man-made and dating back to the 17th century. Today, only around 194 remain, and of these, only a handful can be considered ecologically healthy. The rest have either dried up, been encroached upon, or turned into sewage dumps.
One of the most striking examples of this decline is Bellandur Lake, once a vibrant water body, now infamous for its toxic foam and frequent fires caused by chemical effluents. The lake’s surface is often covered in a layer of frothy white foam, a by-product of untreated sewage and industrial waste being dumped into the water. The foam, carried by the wind, settles over nearby roads and houses, creating a public health hazard. The fires, sparked by the highly flammable methane gas released from decaying organic matter, are a grim reminder of the lake’s current state.
The situation is no different for other lakes in the city. Varthur Lake, second largest lake of Bangalore, suffers from similar pollution issues, while many smaller lakes have simply disappeared, replaced by apartment complexes, malls, and roads. The loss of these lakes has not only reduced Bengaluru’s water storage capacity but has also led to a significant drop in groundwater levels, exacerbating the city’s water scarcity problems.
According to House committee in 2021, 837 lakes in Bengaluru Urban district have vanished, with 88 lakes disappearing entirely, covering an area of 528 hectares. It also states 80 pc of the remaining lakes are polluted and unsuitable for any use.
The disappearance of Bengaluru’s lakes has far-reaching consequences. Ecologically, the lakes supported a rich diversity of flora and fauna, including migratory birds, fish, and aquatic plants. As the lakes vanish, so does this biodiversity. The loss of lakes has also disrupted the natural drainage system of the city, leading to increased flooding during the monsoon season. Areas that were once protected from floods by the lakes, water-holding capacity now experience frequent waterlogging.
“The lakes of Bengaluru were once the city’s lifeline, essential not just for water supply but also for maintaining ecological balance. Their disappearance is symptomatic of a larger issue unchecked urbanisation and a disregard for environmental planning. When we lose a lake, we are not just losing a body of water, we are losing a natural flood regulator, a groundwater recharger, and a habitat for diverse species. The rapid decline of these lakes has already led to severe water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, and increased flooding in the city,” Dr Sanjay Sarjerao Kale, Environmental Science Professor at Savitribai Phule Pune University, tells Media India Group.
“If this trend continues, the consequences will be dire. Bengaluru’s transformation into a concrete jungle is not sustainable. We must urgently prioritise the restoration and conservation of our remaining lakes. This requires coordinated action from the government, industries, and citizens alike. We have the knowledge and the tools to revive these ecosystems, but we need the collective will to make it happen. The future of Bengaluru, and indeed the quality of life for its residents, depends on it,” he adds
As the metropolis grapples with the dual challenges of rapid urban expansion and environmental sustainability, the once-vibrant network of lakes that characterised the city is rapidly disappearing. In recent years, the situation has become increasingly dire, with significant portions of these water bodies either drying up or being overtaken by development.
The city’s 184 lakes under the jurisdiction of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) are emblematic of this crisis, with 50 in particularly poor condition. The situation is exacerbated by the broader Bengaluru Urban district, which contains over 600 lakes, nearly 100 of which have dried up this year alone. This extensive degradation not only threatens local biodiversity but also disrupts the city’s natural water management systems, leading to increased flooding and water shortages.
Research conducted by city-based experts reveals a troubling trend, between 2000 and 2021, key lakes such as Bellandur, Begur, and Hulimavu have collectively lost nearly 90 pc to encroachment.
The decline of the lakes has had a profound impact on water scarcity in the city. Historically, these lakes played a critical role in recharging groundwater levels and managing excess rainfall. As they disappear, the city’s natural ability to handle monsoon runoff diminishes, leading to more frequent and severe flooding. Simultaneously, the reduction in groundwater recharge exacerbates the problem of water scarcity, affecting households and industries alike.
In addition to environmental and hydrological concerns, the cultural and social impacts are also significant. Many of the lakebeds, once vibrant with ecological activity and community gatherings are now repurposed into cricket pitches and other recreational areas. While these activities highlight the adaptability of local residents, they also reflect a broader neglect of these essential water bodies. The lakes, which once served as crucial ecological and social assets, have been reduced to makeshift sports fields or, worse, have vanished entirely.
“Seeing our lakes turn into sports fields is both a testament to the community’s resilience and a stark reminder of what we have lost, the disappearing lakes represent a much larger issue of water scarcity and environmental degradation. It is clear that immediate and sustained action is needed to restore these lakes and improve our water management practices. Without these efforts, we risk facing even more severe consequences in the future,” Vincy Varghese, a student of Environmental Science Christ University in Bengaluru, tells Media India Group.
As Bengaluru stands at a critical juncture, the loss of its once-celebrated lakes underscores a broader environmental crisis that threatens not just its water resources, but its very way of life. The city’s rapid transformation into a global tech hub has come at the cost of its natural heritage, leaving behind a legacy of ecological imbalance and water scarcity.
