Dead fish were seen floating in Doddakallasandra lake on Sunday, despite the BBMP rejuvenating the waterbody just two years ago.
Notably, this marks the eighth lake in the city to witness fish kill, highlighting the municipal corporation’s inadequate efforts in addressing sewage inflow into waterbodies, despite spending several crores of rupees in upgrading the sewerage infrastructure.
Spanning 24.16 acres, the Doddakallasandra lake is a significant biodiversity hotspot. The 2019 ActionAid Biodiversity Report documented the presence of 343 trees, encompassing 43 species, along with over 42 species of butterflies and 11 migratory bird species.
Lake activist Raghavendra Pachhapur suspected the leakage of sewage from a BWSSB underground drain network into the waterbody. He also said the BBMP had not maintained the lake properly.
“The sewage diversion channel has not been cleaned in the last three years. As a result, sewage is entering the lake. No action was taken to fix it even after complaining several times,” he said.
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) stated an increase in total coliform bacteria. It breached the maximum values between six and nine times. Faecal coliform (sewage) was also detected.
Pachhapur was of the view that the BBMP should be taken to task under the ‘polluter pays’ principle.