Plastic waste chokes Ulsoor Lake

Plastic waste chokes Ulsoor Lake
Several events were organized in Bangalore on Thursday to mark World Environment Day. While they reflected people’s concern for the Earth, the city’s most popular lake is showing signs of neglect
—Akshata Acharya & Nitya Andrew

Bangalore: Much has been said about making Bangalore as good as Singapore, and a model city for the rest of the country. But no top city of the world has stormwater drains running into or anywhere close to lakes. Or garbage dumped around waterbodies. Ulsoor Lake resembling Singapore’s riverfront any time in the next few decades, will remain a pipe dream if this state of affairs continues.
The lake, located in the heart of the city and one of its star attractions, has degenerated into a stinking cesspool of plastic and debris. Five years ago, the BBMP spent a whopping Rs 10.5 crore to clean it up. That money has, literally, gone down the drain.
Visitors are greeted by foul smell at points where plastic and non-degradable wastes have accumulated, causing water to stagnate. This eyesore draws all attention away from the fountains and flowers, which were meant to beautify the lake.
On either side of the promenade, mounds of trash have piled up and, at the end of the pier, there is nothing to disguise the hideous sight of floating plastic and debris. The road opposite the main gates of Madras Engineering Group (MEG) acts as a bridge to this portion of the lake, which houses stormwater drains. Even areas unsullied by garbage are being taken over by water hyacinth.
B C Nagesh, BBMP assistant executive engineer (East), said floating debris is transferred to the lake’s banks so it can be collected and disposed of when a truckload piles up. However, this attempt is proving futile due to reduced manpower, say BBMP officials.
The BBMP has issued tenders to private contractors for lake maintenance. But till the contract is awarded, what happens to the garbage is anyone’s guess.
M Prakash, who goes on regular walks by the lake, has seen it deteriorate over the past five years. “A number of clean-up operations have been undertaken, but nothing has restored the lake to its pristine glory,” he said.
Another visitor, Rajesh Kumar, says: “I came to the lake on a family outing, but I’m disappointed to see the sorry state of affairs here.”
The authorities blamed nonfunctioning of 5-6 fountains — out of 10 — for stagnation of water. Venkatesh Murthy, BBMP assistant engineer in charge of Ulsoor Lake, said 7-10 maintenance workers have been deputed to clean up the lake and its premises. Since the lake is used for the MEG’s sports-training purposes, the Madras Sappers help keep it clean. Murthy promised that the lake would be cleaned up and made tourist-friendly within a month.
DOWN THE DRAIN
Plastic dumped in drains near houses flows into the stormwater drain, that goes into the lake’s sedimentation tank.
A stormwater drain flowing into a lake, which is meant to be a lung space, is, by itself, bizarre.
Trash strewn all along the promenade. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST