Residents of the villages on the outskirts of the city have become mute spectators to pollution of lakes and ground water, which they use for domestic purposes and cattle.
The pollution is due to sewage water discharged from the nearby quarters into the lakes, untreated.
Ironically, it is not illiterates who are polluting water sources but learned people who are highly placed in the society.
They are causing irreparable damage to the environment.
The sewage water from the Master Control Facility (MCF) quarters is being let into the two lakes in Haralahalli on the outskirts of the city.
While the residents of the quarters give priority to cleanliness and hygiene in thier premises, the water being let out of the quarters has been affecting the environment and contaminating the lakes — making it unfit for human or cattle consumption.
The Sannakere or the Makkalakatte is situated near Salagame road that connects MCF quarters. Earlier, the sewage from the quarters was let into this lake and it took no time to pollute the lake, emanating stench inconveniencing the villagers.
Several protests and memoranda did not make any difference. But, recently the water is being diverted to another lake but still the Makkalakatte is being affected, says Indiramma who stays nearby. But the temporary system is not completely to prevent pollution of the lake but it is due to a complaint lodged by the residents of the quarters to the district health officer about rising mosquito menace in their place.
The officials who made a spot inspection came out with a plan of diverting sewage water to another lake to control mosquitoes. According to norms, water should be let out only after treatment. But the treatment unit is under repair since several months.
The water stagnated in the unit has become a breeding place for mosquitoes, which was observed by the officials who directed to repair the unit at the earliest. But till date, no work have been taken up for repairing the unit and the system of untreated water being discharged into lakes continue.
Now, the sewage water is being let into the much bigger Kengatte lake (Mavinahalli gate kere) polluting it. The villagers have no other option but to depend on water from the lake for cattle. There is a borewell nearby, which is used by people of the surrounding villages. Narasimhegowda of the village says the groundwater table is also polluted. But the villagers inevitably use water from the borewell for drinking purpose, due to lack of awareness.