Bengaluru: It took the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order to wake up the state government from its slumber to save Bengaluru's largest lake. The test results of water samples from Bellandur Lake, collected by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), reveal that the water quality index (WQI) is unsatisfactory.
Bellandur is classified as ‘Class E’, which means that the water can only be used for irrigation, industrial cooking and controlled waste disposal.
“As per the directions of the Supreme Court all the industries should install Primary Treatment Plant within three months. We have already notified spare STP of BWSSB and other public bodies of 63 MLD capacities,” said KSPCB chairman Mr Lakshman.
“The non-compliance of the SC’s directions will attract a penal action under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974,” he said. But the experts say that Class E proves that the lake water is not suitable for drinking purposes.
“The water can only be made potable through a sewage treatment process. The pollution control board cannot be the arbiter, when they themselves are accused. They should be made accountable for the pathetic condition of lakes around the city,” said water expert Kshitij Urs.
Sharing the same opinion, another water expert T.V. Ramachandra said that he was surprised at the classification of the KSPCB which says that water can be used for irrigation. “As per our own investigation, vegetables grown in the downstream of the lake have an excess amount of chromium, zinc and lead, which makes it unsuitable for agricultural purposes too. It is time the pollution control board woke up,” he said.
Asked if the industries are complying with the Supreme Court order on setting up Primary Treatment Plant, Mr Ramchandra said that had it been the case, the lakes would not have been polluted to this extent.
“The Pollution Control Board knows which industries are responsible for the pollution, but are not taking any action. The board is involved in this big racket,” Mr Urs alleged.
Mr Ramachandra said, “The Pollution Control Board should ensure that the water samples come under Class A. The government has allowed the industries to pollute the lake and if they cannot control the menace, it should quit.”
