Bengaluru: A few months ago, several bureaucrats and ministers took a keen interest in solving the Bellandur Lake ‘froth’ issue, just to get noticed by the public. But now, many months later, nothing has been done at the site. The agencies have only made temporary visits and false promises.
But the battle by the citizens contines. They have been constantly trying to reach officials and are even conducting workshops to find probable solutions to the problem.
Now comes the latest development: concerned citizens have organized a public consortium to save the Bellandur Lake. On February 22, Dr. T.V. Ramachandra, senior scientist, CES, Indian Institute of Science, Whitefield Rising (NGO) Volunteers, journalists, activists from Bellandur and Varthur Lake, Friends of Lakes (NGO) representatives and Namma Bengaluru Foundation representatives, will discuss the status of these lakes.
The situation is indeed a horrifying one, repugnant especially to ecologists. Bellandur Lake, once a beautiful green paradise, has turned into a hub of toxic froth. After a huge uproar by many on the deteriorating highly polluting situation, the authorities have merely fenced the entire lake and installed around 4 to 6 machines near the lake to spray a chemical to help reduce the foul smell and froth at the lake.
But all this has been of little or no help, claim residents. The pollution levels have increased beyond the lakes’ assimilative capacity. This has led to nutrient enrichment and profuse growth of macrophytes and algae, which in turn leads to reduced oxygen levels and poses a threat to aquatic life.
Anamoy Talukdar, an engineer who works at an IT park at Bellandur says, “I took a rented house as my office is nearby. The rent is also considerably cheap over here. Initially I assumed that I would not be affected by the smell, as I returned from work late at night. But it’s now becoming increasingly difficult, especially during the monsoons. I am now looking for a new house at a different location.”
MLA PC Mohan said, “The government is planning a STP- this is what we were informed in the last meeting. The government must devise a concrete proposal, until then it’s very difficult to assess anything. They have to prepare a budget, funds have to be released and then the execution can be done.”
