BENGALURU: There is finally some hope for Bellandur lake in the city with the coalition government allocating Rs 50 crore for the all-round rejuvenation of the lake. The budget also promises to take steps to provide water of Bellandur lake in the coming days for agricultural activities in rural areas of Bengaluru district through drip irrigation in partnership with Antharaganga Micro Irrigation Corporation Limited.
As the entry of chemicals into the sewage water of the city pollutes drinking water, the government has allotted 10 crore for the setting up of chemical effluent treatment plants in different parts of the city and a chemical waste treatment unit in Peenya Industrial Zone. Like the last budget in February, the present budget too has allotted Rs 96 crore for the setting up of 42 Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations under the District Mineral Fund.
Giving an impetus to social forestry in the state, the government has allotted Rs 10 crore to facilitate projects to sow seeds with soil balls and plant saplings on a large scale. In order to grow more trees suitable for each area, in the government land on small hills, grazing land and areas surrounding tanks will be utilised. College students and environmental organizations will participate actively in the project. To facilitate development of forests, the government plans to fence areas where the annual rainfall is more than 750 mm, and believes this will be enough for the development of the forest on its own.
