State to seek more time from NGT to clean Bellandur lake
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Additional chief secretary (Forests), P Ravikumar, additional chief secretary, (Urban Development) Mahendra Jain and BDA commissioner Rakesh Singh inspect the Bellandur lake on Tuesday. dh photo
The state government has decided to seek more time from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to set up a sewage treatment plant at Bellandur lake.
“At the next hearing of the NGT on May 18, we will not only present the facts but will also ask for more time, since the task of cleaning the 910-acre water body is huge and the time given is short,” said Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary, urban development department.
He told reporters after inspecting Bellandur lake on Tuesday that the government will explain to the NGT that they have started weeding the lake and that work on fencing it has also started. “So far, 850 metres have been fenced. The model of siphon technology, which was done as an experiment at Varthur lake, has been successful and it will be implemented in Bellandur also. This will control frothing at the spillover,” he said.
Jain said the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) has prepared a wetland model which the government will soon approve and place before the NGT for final approval. “We will explain to the NGT that it is difficult to establish an STP in such a short time. We will ask for time till 2020. The BWSSB has assured us that one STP of 90 mld capacity will be ready by July and work on a 250-mld STP is under way. Work on the 100-mld STP will be completed only by 2020. BWSSB has already called for tenders for this,” he said.
Jain explained that around 40% of the city’s water flows through the Kommaghatta-Chellaghatta valley to Bellandur lake. It will take time to clean the water body. Plans are also being chalked out to desilt the lake. He added that once the weeds and silt are cleared, the lake will not require much maintenance.
However, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the custodian of the lake, will have to maintain it regularly.
The BWSSB has also agreed to undertake bio-remediation of storm water drains. They are also keen on partnering with KLCDA to implement the wetland model in the lake and near the inlet channels. Work on this will start from May 15, Jain added.
“At the next hearing of the NGT on May 18, we will not only present the facts but will also ask for more time, since the task of cleaning the 910-acre water body is huge and the time given is short,” said Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary, urban development department.
He told reporters after inspecting Bellandur lake on Tuesday that the government will explain to the NGT that they have started weeding the lake and that work on fencing it has also started. “So far, 850 metres have been fenced. The model of siphon technology, which was done as an experiment at Varthur lake, has been successful and it will be implemented in Bellandur also. This will control frothing at the spillover,” he said.
Jain said the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) has prepared a wetland model which the government will soon approve and place before the NGT for final approval. “We will explain to the NGT that it is difficult to establish an STP in such a short time. We will ask for time till 2020. The BWSSB has assured us that one STP of 90 mld capacity will be ready by July and work on a 250-mld STP is under way. Work on the 100-mld STP will be completed only by 2020. BWSSB has already called for tenders for this,” he said.
Jain explained that around 40% of the city’s water flows through the Kommaghatta-Chellaghatta valley to Bellandur lake. It will take time to clean the water body. Plans are also being chalked out to desilt the lake. He added that once the weeds and silt are cleared, the lake will not require much maintenance.
However, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the custodian of the lake, will have to maintain it regularly.
The BWSSB has also agreed to undertake bio-remediation of storm water drains. They are also keen on partnering with KLCDA to implement the wetland model in the lake and near the inlet channels. Work on this will start from May 15, Jain added.