Karnataka clears encroachments from over 6,500 lakes

The government of Karnataka has reported significant progress in removing encroachments from its lakes. So far, they have identified encroachments in 11,652 of the total 40,988 lakes across the state. As of January 21, authorities have successfully cleared encroachments from 6,575 lakes, recovering around 23,983 acres of land. A recent survey covered 30,244 lakes and revealed that 37,281 acres had been affected by encroachments. The government aims to tackle the remaining encroachments from 5,077 lakes, which cover 13,298 acres. Minor irrigation minister NS Boseraju emphasized that the process of identifying and clearing these encroachments is a priority. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed officials to expedite this work. The Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA) has also noted that 10,754 lakes, spanning 224,344 acres, are still waiting to be surveyed. The survey is expected to be completed soon with the help of district-level committees led by deputy commissioners. Hassan, Shivamogga, and Mysuru districts have the highest numbers of encroached lakes, while Yadgir and Kalaburagi have the least, with only six encroachments each. Authorities have made notable progress, reclaiming 509 lakes in Hassan, 576 in Shivamogga, and 818 in Mysuru.