BMP smells nothing fishy in Ulsoor lake

BMP smells nothing fishy in Ulsoor lake

The BMP has apparently kept the investigation report under wraps and has not bothered to take remedial measures to prevent fish deaths in Ulsoor lake.

Deccan Herald

Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) refuses to learn from its experiences. Even a fortnight after Karnataka State Pollution Control Board’s (KSPCB) report that mass death of fish in Ulsoor lake was due to discharge of pollutants, the BMP has turned a blind eye and not taken any remedial measure s to avoid the recurrence of such accidents.

KSPCB’s investigation — laboratory testing of water samples and dead fish – had revealed that oxygen level in the lake depleted considerably due to mixing of pollutants like sewerage water, which led to the mass death. It was also revealed that the fish started dying from January 25, while BMP first learnt about the incident only on January 27.

However, the civic body has apparently kept the report under wraps. It has neither tried to examine on its own the reason how pollutants entered the lake nor has it sought any explanation from Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in this regard, BMP sources told Deccan Herald.

Rejuvenation project

It was BWSSB which implemented the work to divert sewerage water from entering the lake at the cost of over Rs one crore — as part of BMP’s Ulsoor Lake Rejuvenation project. Besides, BMP had set up Sedimentation Tank — where rain water will be stored before it enters the lake. This was to prevent solid wastes from entering the water body.

Besides, the incident had exposed BMP’s laxity in maintaining the lake. It used to get the laboratory test of the water quality only once a month, as against experts’ suggestion to conduct the test once in every two days.

“Had the BMP ensured that the tests were done every two days, it would have come to know about pollutants entering the lake and the incident would not have occurred at all,” experts noted. BMP has turned a deaf ear to experts suggestions too. Soon after the incident, experts from Department of Fisheries, UAS, suggested to install aerators (which keeps stirring the water) to keep the water in the lake clean and take steps to let-in some quantity of fresh water.

These measures are necessary to enhance the water quality in the lake and avoid recurrence of such incidents, said Prof C Vasudevappa of the department of Fisheries, UAS.

BMP move

The only initiative BMP took following the incident is spraying of potassium permanganate and zeolite to enhance the oxygen level and absorb the pollutants in the lake.

When contacted, Technical Advisor to BMP Commissioner R Jaiprasad agreed that BMP is yet to ascertain how pollutants entered the lake. “I will soon hold a meeting with BWSSB officials in this regard,” he said, adding that BMP has taken all taken corrective measures and oxygen level is up to the required standards.