Dirty froth greets govt panel at Varthur lake
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A nine-member expert committee inspects Varthur lake on Thursday, as part of the government's efforts to revive two of the dirties waterbodies in Bengaluru. Mahendra Jain, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, heads the committee. dH PHOTO
A government-appointed expert committee, which went on a field inspection of Varthur lake on Thursday, experienced during the four-hour visit what local residents face every day: contaminated froth flying all around and into their faces.
The nine-member team had some unpleasant encounters. It surveyed two waste weirs and inlet points. It noticed construction debris dumped on one side of the lake and unsegregated waste lying on the other. Locals pointed to a portion of the lake that had been encroached upon. The committee instructed the Revenue Department to survey the area and submit a report.
The visit is part of the government’s efforts to revive Bellandur and Varthur lakes, two of the dirtiest waterbodies in Bengaluru. Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Mahendra Jain, is chairperson of the committee. The committee had inspected Bellandur lake on June 2. The team was unable to sail into Varthur lake in Army boats, as it had done in Bellandur. Poor communication between the Bangalore Development Authority (which is custodian of the lake and organised the field inspection) and the Army personnel led to dropping of the plan.
The committee has so far met twice and made two field visits. Jain said there was an immediate need to instal a large sewage treatment plant at Bellandur lake and a smaller one at Varthur lake. “Our priority is Bellandur lake as water flows downstream from here to Varthur,” he said.
On the request of locals, the team also visited Ammanikere in Kundlahalli, where waste is being illegally dumped. The committee found that a portion of the lake land was under litigation with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which needed to be examined.
Next course of action
The committee will meet next on June 16 and decide the next course of action on reviving the two lakes. It will submit the reports of its field visits to the government.
The Cabinet will have to approve the recommendations. Jain said people and nonprofits could send suggestions to the Urban Development Department by June 16.
T V Ramachandra, committee member and professor at Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, said the committee discussed accepting a proposal to revive the lakes. He said civic officials had suggested diverting sewage downstream, but it was inappropriate as that would contaminate water downstream to villagers and onward to Tamil Nadu. The only solution is to treat the sewage, he said.
DH News Service
The nine-member team had some unpleasant encounters. It surveyed two waste weirs and inlet points. It noticed construction debris dumped on one side of the lake and unsegregated waste lying on the other. Locals pointed to a portion of the lake that had been encroached upon. The committee instructed the Revenue Department to survey the area and submit a report.
The visit is part of the government’s efforts to revive Bellandur and Varthur lakes, two of the dirtiest waterbodies in Bengaluru. Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Mahendra Jain, is chairperson of the committee. The committee had inspected Bellandur lake on June 2. The team was unable to sail into Varthur lake in Army boats, as it had done in Bellandur. Poor communication between the Bangalore Development Authority (which is custodian of the lake and organised the field inspection) and the Army personnel led to dropping of the plan.
The committee has so far met twice and made two field visits. Jain said there was an immediate need to instal a large sewage treatment plant at Bellandur lake and a smaller one at Varthur lake. “Our priority is Bellandur lake as water flows downstream from here to Varthur,” he said.
On the request of locals, the team also visited Ammanikere in Kundlahalli, where waste is being illegally dumped. The committee found that a portion of the lake land was under litigation with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), which needed to be examined.
Next course of action
The committee will meet next on June 16 and decide the next course of action on reviving the two lakes. It will submit the reports of its field visits to the government.
The Cabinet will have to approve the recommendations. Jain said people and nonprofits could send suggestions to the Urban Development Department by June 16.
T V Ramachandra, committee member and professor at Centre for Ecological Sciences, IISc, said the committee discussed accepting a proposal to revive the lakes. He said civic officials had suggested diverting sewage downstream, but it was inappropriate as that would contaminate water downstream to villagers and onward to Tamil Nadu. The only solution is to treat the sewage, he said.
DH News Service