A group of citizen activists has raised concerns over a Durga Pooja event being organised in Bengaluru by the Bengali Association for the residents of Sarjapur and HSR area (BARSHA). They allege that the event is being held at the Somasundarapalya playground, which is connected to the Somasundarapalya Lake in HSR layout, in violation of the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) guidelines.
BARSHA has advertised on their social media pages that the event will take place on a ground covering an area of up to 70,000 square feet, with an expected attendance of five lakh visitors and over 30 food stalls. In another poster, they stated, “walk through an illuminated lakeside. Witness the splendid interplay of lights and their captivating reflections on the water’s surface.” Although the posts did not specify the event's location, they provided the Google Maps location of the Somasundarapalya lake in the comment section for those who inquired. However, these comments have since been deleted.
Once a dying lake, the Somasundarapalya lake, was rejuvenated by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) due to pressure from activists. The activists are also in the process of establishing an urban forest called Sundaravana near the lake to combat pollution caused by the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) compost plant.
“A program of that scale will cause extensive damage to the recovery efforts of the lake and Sundaravana. Apart from being a threat, it is also against the laws pertaining to usage of lake premises for such activities. We are also extremely worried about creating a precedent for abusing the lake bed for similar entertainment activities and functions in the future,” the activist group stated in a letter addressed to the BBMP Chief Engineer for lakes.
According to NGT guidelines, no structure, whether temporary or permanent, can be erected within a buffer zone, which is set at 30 metres from a lake. “The BBMP has not granted permission for the event near the lake. This is in direct violation of a High Court directive, and we cannot authorise any event on the lake premises,” said BBMP Chief Engineer (Lakes), Vijay Kumar Haridar, speaking to TNM.
When TNM sought clarification from BARSHA, an individual named Raju, who claimed to represent the MLA's office, responded. He confirmed that the event would take place at Somasundarapalya playground, adjacent to the lake. “The playground was not in a usable condition previously, and we, from the MLA's office, have recently developed it,” Raju stated.
When asked if they had sought permission from the BBMP to organise the event, he replied, “If necessary, we will request permission from the BBMP. We already have approval from the local authorities and the local MLA,” Raju said. Somasundarapalya lake falls within the Bommanahalli constituency, which is represented by BJP MLA Satish Reddy.
Raju further compared the event to multiple Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations occurring around the city. “The structure is not a permanent one for which we need to take BBMP approval, it will only happen for three to four days where families will come and take part in the pooja,” he justified.
“We do not oppose any religious celebrations as long as they comply with environmental laws and guidelines. Our concern is solely related to the choice of venue for the festival, and we urge the organisers to reconsider, given that the lake and Sundaravana are ecologically sensitive areas,” stated the activists.
Durga Pooja is an annual five-day celebration that pays tribute to the goddess Durga. It commemorates the goddess's victory over the demon king Mahishasur. According to Hindu mythology, it is believed that the goddess visits her earthly abode during this time to bless her devotees. Durga Pooja holds great significance for the Bengali community. The festival concludes with Vijaya Dashami or Dussehra, marking the end of Durga Pooja and the nine-day-long Navratri celebrations. This year, the festival will take place from October 20 to October 24.