BENGALURU: After the National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered a clean-up of Bellandur Lake in a month’s time, civic bodies are finally ready with an action plan.
Mahendra Jain, Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department (UDD), held a meeting on Friday with officials of all civic agencies and laid down a plan for the revival of Bellandur Lake. The clean-up work is likely to start by next week.
BDA will be responsible for removal of debris and de-weeding. BBMP will be responsible for installation of CCTV cameras around the lake and monitoring of garbage dumping. KSPCB will ensure industries around the lake are shut down so that sewage does not flow into the lake. BWSSB and Lake Development Authority will be accountable for wetland development.
Speaking to Express, Mahendra Jain said, “We had an elaborate meeting on the issues pertaining to the lake and roles of each civic agency in cleaning it up.
Although we are yet to receive a copy of the order, I have instructed all urban bodies to start the work. Each agency will be crucial in restoring the lake. Although NGT has told us to ignore tendering process, we will try to maintain transparency in the process and wherever possible we will call for tenders. BDA will be finalising the tender today (Friday).”
So far, he has not given a stipulated time period to civic bodies to finish the works.
A source in BDA said, “It is highly impracticable to clean the lake of 912 acres in a matter of one month. We will file an affidavit again in the NGT.”
Meanwhile, BDA engineer-member P N Nayak said, “A lot of work has already started, like fencing of lake, removal of solid waste and so on.”
Sustained inflow of untreated sewage and effluents from apartments and industries especially from four main inlets of Ejipura drain, Agara valley drain, Challaghatta valley drain and Iblur drains have contaminated the lake to the point where the inflow of pollutants has surpassed the lake’s assimilative capacity.
The lake receives 400-500 MLD of treated and untreated water every day. The pollution has led to frothing in the lake which is often seen spilling on to roads, blocking the view of motorists. There have been incidents of fire in the lake due to presence of toxic chemicals.
Encroachment of catchment areas by builders of apartment complexes and layouts and urbanisation were finally brought to the notice of NGT.
In fact, the negligence by civic authorities for over five years has aggravated the issue.