Bangalore: Ministers for Information and BWSSB Katta Subramanyam Naidu and Medical Education Ramachandra Gowda on Wednesday assured members in the Upper House that the government would not privatise lakes in and around Bangalore City. During the debate on the issue, the Ministers also promised that they would take steps to take back those lakes which have already been handed over to private parties. Earlier raising the issue Dr M P Nada Gowda (JDU) expressed his concern over privatisation of as well as encroachments on the lakes. He said the Lake Development Authority was not able to check the encroachments on the lakes. Council Chairman B K Chandrashekhar also expressed his unhappiness over the decision. He said the public have been denied access to the Agara tank which has been handed over to the Oberai Group. Moreover the Conservator of Forests has filed an affidavit in the High Court declaring that the State Government is opposed to privatisation. Gowda said that during his previous tenure he moved a private bill which opposed the privatisation of lakes. While assuring the House that the government would not privatise lakes, Naidu added that water from these lakes after treatment would be supplied to industries.However Vijay Sankeshwar (BJP) differed with the government and said big corporate houses should be involved in maintaining the lakes as the government alone cannot discharge the responsibility. Leader of the Opposition Veeranna Mattikatti and the JDS Floor Leader Basavaraj Horatti wanted the House to pass a resolution opposing privatisation of lakes not merely in Bangalore but all over the State.