BWSSB Chairman T M Vijay Bhaskar said on Monday that it will take at least five years to get rid of the toxic foam that has been emanating from the Bellandur Lake in the City.
In his reply to Mayor BN Manjunath Reddy during a meeting with corporators here, Bhaskar said that it will be a long-term process to restore the lake, which has been polluted due to the release of trade effluents from nearby industries. He added that BWSSB has initiated several short-term measures to restore the lake such as spraying of chemicals, installing a mesh and constructing ramp to block the overflow of foam.
While, creating diversion channel, which is a mid-term solution, takes at least two years, he said setting up more Sewage Treatment Plants (SWP) would be a permanent solution.
As of now, 800 mld of polluted water gets into Bellandur Lake from around 25kms. We are able to treat only 250 mld of water, while work on setting up another STP that is capable to treating 150 mld of water is under progress. Meanwhile, we have written to the State and Central government asking for more Sewage Treatment Plants (SWP) to treat 345 mld of polluted water. If funds are sanctioned, it will take at least five years to restore the lake, he added.