Bengaluru: The Bellandur Kere Habba was celebrated on Saturday, with concerned citizens, lake experts and children descending on the lakeside to highlight the plight of the waterbody. Of nearly 50 stalls put up, one had photographs that portrayed the gradual decline of this once pristine lake. Besides yoga and the painting competitions, the festival had a panel discussion which highlighted the recent developments concerning the lake and also chalked out solutions that can revive it.
Environmentalist Yellapa Reddy, questioning the silence of citizens and blaming it for the government's negligence, said, “40% of pollution at the lake is because of untreated e-waste which gets into the wrong hands and ends up being burnt.”
He narrated the example of the Tamil Nadu government, which tightened the noose on the textile industries and ultimately shut down over 9,000 such units responsible for polluting the Cauvery river.
Dr Vijay Kumar, a lake expert, said that the lake if disinfected can be used for drinking purposes and it has chemical oxidant demand (COD) of 75.
BBMP Joint Commissioner, Mahadevapura range, Vasanti Amar, said that the civic authority is continuously monitoring the lake and will take action against those found dumping the waste. “All government departments are coordinating well with each other and citizen's motivation is one of the major factors behind the protection of the lake. ”
An official from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, who wished not to be identified, told Deccan Chronicle that of the 657 apartments identified, 323 have not installed sewage treatment plants (STP), for which 170 notices have been served. He said that Resident Welfare Associations of these apartments are worried about the expenses and do not want to install STPs which cost Rs 5 lakh for 1 kld capacity.
Mr Ram Prasad said that a biometric attendance system for pourkarmikas will not only improve their condition, but will also help the city's streets remain clean. “To stop dumping of waste, all garbage vehicles should be fixed with GPS devices,” he stressed. Mr Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, said that rejuvenation of Bellandur Lake is not a distant dream but a reality and the citizens should become active participants. “I urge everyone to read the expert committee report on Bellandur Lake. A lot of problems will be solved if you (citizens) get into ward committees,” he said.
