Bengaluru: With the one-month deadline set by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to clean up Bellandur lake fast approaching, Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia held a review meeting with the civic stake holders and directed them to speedily expedite the work.
The NGT had on April 19 called for immediate shutting down of polluting industries near Bellandur lake and clean the lake.
Khuntia took stock of deweeding and civil works taken up by the BBMP and BDA and efforts of BWSSB to divert the sewerage.
However, the progress on the ground is not satisfactory as the work on deweeding and desilting the lake has been going on at snail's pace.
With less than 15 days to go for the deadline set by the NGT, the BBMP and BDA have not even achieved 20 per cent of the project.
When Deccan Chronicle visited the Bellandur lake on Friday, only two earth movers were deployed to clear the debris and to deweed the lake. This is an indication that the work is not progressing at the pace which was expected by the NGT.
Priyanka, a resident of Bellandur, told Deccan Chronicle, "I feel they are doing a great job. However, the stench is unbearable as the garbage and muck is being pulled out of the lake. It has also increased the mosquito menace."
Vishnu Reddy the earth mover operator said, "I have been working to clean this lake for the past week and we have been given a contract of 6 months to remove the debris around the lake." The State Government will be filing an affidavit before NGT on May 15, stating its short term and long term plan to clean up the Bellandur Lake.
