Bengaluru: The heavy downpour on Monday night whipped up mountains of foam at Bellandur Lake, severely affecting the movement of vehicles and triggering fears of an epidemic breakout.
Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George and BWSSB Chairman Vijay Bhaskar visited the spot on Tuesday morning, and were greeted by angry residents.
Mr Bhaskar told Deccan Chronicle, “The residents demanded a sewage diversion channel at both Bellandur and Varthur Lakes, and Mr George agreed. He directed us to work out an estimate and it will be presented to the government. If approved, the diversion channel will take around one-and-a-half years to complete and the works can be taken up only during dry seasons. A sewage treatment plant (STP) is under construction near Bellandur Lake and it will start functioning from August 2016. The estimated sewage flowing into the lake is around 800 mld. We already have an STP that treats 305 mld and another STP with 150 mld capacity is under construction. A treatment plant with 100 mld capacity has been approved by the government, while we have proposed another 190 mld capacity STP. If approved, it will take another four years to complete. The pollution problem in the lake will be solved when all the STPs start working.”
But the residents are not happy. “In the last one month, there have been meetings and more promises made. Bureaucrats and ministers have been giving the same clichéd excuses, saying the proposals would be presented before the government. Obviously, it will take many years before these plans are approved and implemented. Government agencies should start implementing some immediate and long-term measures. It looks like the BDA, BWSSB, KSPCB, BBMP and the government, everybody wants to wash their hands of this issue,” they said.
Monil J.R., a resident, said, “There is no doubt the situation has become worse because of heavy rains over the last few days. It will take at least another five years before the lake can be cleaned up, but it is too long. At present, the BWSSB chairman has only asked his officials to restart the fencing work to stop the froth flowing over to the road.”
Download the all new Deccan Chronicle app for Android and iOS to stay up-to-date with latest headlines and news stories in politics, entertainment, sports, technology, business and much more from India and around the world.
