Coalition flags concerns over lake works undertaken with World Bank funds

Federation of Bengaluru Lakes (FBL), a coalition of lake communities in Bengaluru, has written to the World Bank Group, raising concern over what they termed “a material disconnect between the stated results framework and current implementation practice” in the works pertaining to lakes and Storm Water Drains (SWD) in Bengaluru, it is funding. The Hindu has a copy of the letter dated May 31.

The World Bank is funding Karnataka Water Security and Resilience Programme (KWSRP), aimed at flood mitigation and building climate resilience in Bengaluru. While the World Bank is funding around ₹3,500 crore, the State government is contributing around ₹1,500 crore. Reinforcement of the SWDs, lake bunds, installation of sluice gates, etc., are being taken up under the project.

“Our field monitoring, photographic evidence, and hydrological surveys, which can be made available for independent review, indicate that several current design decisions may be inconsistent with the programme’s stated objectives and with the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017,” the FBL stated in the letter, dated May 31.

Three concerns

It flags three concerns: concrete-heavy engineering, hydrological discontinuity and buffer zone encroachment.

The FBL stated while the World Bank’s technical assessment prioritises nature-based solutions, current contracts for at least 12 lakes reportedly require concrete lining of bunds and inlets. “This approach may reduce groundwater recharge, damage riparian habitat, and create lasting ecological harm,” the FBL said.

“Alterations to natural SWDs and inlets disrupt the cascading lake system. This may increase rather than reduce downstream flood risk, which would be contrary to the flood-management objective of the programme,” the letter further stated.

Further, the FBL flagged that it had observed construction activity in the regulated buffer zones of at least five lakes, including areas that function as breeding habitats for migratory bird species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. “This raises a concern under the Wetlands Rules, 2017,” it said.

The FBL’s letter also alleged that citizen-impacted stakeholders and domain experts with long-standing hydrological and ecological knowledge appear to be excluded from design and monitoring processes. It demands inclusion of civic groups into the KWSRP’s governance, monitoring, and verification mechanisms.

The FBL has received a response from the World Bank’s Programme Task Team Leaders for KWSRP, which said, “We are reviewing the issues you have raised and will follow up with the relevant government counterparts responsible for programme implementation,” adding that they would provide a more detailed response once they have gathered sufficient information on the matters raised.

Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao said the letter was not addressed to him, and he would respond if the issues were raised.