Thick smoke billowed from Varthur lake on Tuesday as a huge pile of garbage was set on fire by miscreants.
Residents took pictures and videos, which went viral in no time. The person who shot the video said the fire was near the stormwater drain entering the lake. Joint commissioner of BBMP, Mahadevapura zone Dr B V Vasanthi Amar said illegal dumping of waste was still rampant despite penalties levied and warnings issued to the culprits.
“We need to find out why such incidents are happening. Miscreants set the garbage on fire. We will strengthen enforcement to check such incidents,” said Vasanthi.
Sridhar Pabbisetty of Namma Bengaluru Foundation said, “It is unfortunate that illegal dumping of garbage continues unabated. Unless we act quickly and secure the lakes and rajakaluves immediately, there will be more such incidents. There is a huge quantity of garbage on the lake and the action by government agencies is woefully insufficient.”
He said the National Green Tribunal’s order on dumping of waste and debris into lakes must be implemented. Elan Kulandaivelu from Whitefield Rising blamed the BBMP for its failure. “Lakes have become a dump yard in the absence of proper waste processing units.”