Bellandur lake: Another row

Bellandur lake: Another row
Deccan Herald

A long-drawn blame game unfolded between various civic authorities, over the issue of pollution of the Bellandur Lake, at the Lok Adalat organised by the Bellandur Gram Panchayat on Tuesday.

A long-drawn blame game unfolded between various civic authorities, over the issue of pollution of the Bellandur Lake, at the Lok Adalat organised by the Bellandur Gram Panchayat on Tuesday.

Even as the Bellandur lake, located in the eye of all construction activities on Outer Ring Road, is fast disappearing under sewage and construction waste, the Lake Development Authority, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Bangalore Development Authority, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and the local panchayat chose to blame each other.

LDA CEO B K Singh said that the Bellandur project was approved in 1996-96, when the sewage output was estimated at 240 million litres per day (MLD).


However, by the time the project work began in 2004, sewage generation had increased 10-fold, pointed out Singh. The LDA now wants the BWSSB to set up a sewage treatment plant to tackle sewage accumulation.

“We have used scientific techniques to clear the lake without draining water from it. We have used bio-products and diffusers to increase oxygen content in the lake, that is intended at cleaning out the weeds. However, there has not been any significant change in the pollution level of the lake because of increasing sewage inflow,” Singh explained.

He added that the suggestion for diverting sewage to Varthur lake for treatment was not feasible, and would only compound the problem.

BWSSB representatives accused the BDA and CMCs for indiscriminately issuing construction permits around the lake bed, and contributing to the sewage collection.

They also blamed unchecked encroachment around the lake for more complications.

The revenue inspector of Bellandur Gram Panchayat called upon the High Court to issue a notice to protect identified valleys and water bodies from encroachment and pollution.

Advocate for KSPCB D Nagaraj said, the KSPCB dismissed accusations of being lackadaisical and insisted that they were taking strict action against violators.

High Court Lok Adalat member A N Yellappa Reddy, who chaired the meeting, instructed the authorities to submit their reports within a week, detailing the problems and actions taken with regard to Bellandur lake. After inspecting the lake, Reddy observed, “things are improving, but they are not keeping pace with the growth that the area is witnessing”.

“There is an urgent need to check this unbridled pollution of water bodies. We held the adalat in response to the public interest litigations that have been filed highlighting the pollution of Bellandur lake. We are trying to understand the core issues from all stakeholders concerned, and we hope to chart a workable solution soon,” Reddy said.