BENGALURU: Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd contractors have been found surreptitiously dumping concrete waste in the dead of the night in the 16-acre Mylasandra Lake-1 on Uttarahalli Main Road.
This, despite the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) recently issuing a public notice levying a fine of `5 lakh on indiscriminate dumping of wet or solid waste or any debris in and around lakes and the buffer zones.
It was Manish V Prasad, an engineering student of SJBIT, Uttarahalli Road, who first noticed the dumping on one side of the lake. He said, “Two weeks ago, I noticed dumping of debris in Mylasandra Lake-1, perhaps after being transported from the ongoing Metro construction site where the Phase-II work is on between Nayandahalli and Kengeri.
I wanted to complain. Builders have been dumping construction waste on one side of the lake for the past two months,” he said.
Mylasandra Lake-1 and Lake-2 in Kengeri limits are maintained by the Forest Department. Incidentally, Lake-1 is completely dry now where the dumping of debris is ongoing.
KLCDA CEO Vidyasagar told Express that action will be initiated soon and added that he had asked DCF Bengaluru (Urban) to send a report. “I had received a complaint on Saturday and have asked the official concerned to take action. Both Mylasandra Lake-1 and Lake-2 are category ‘B’ lakes and are fit for bathing purpose.
We had visited these two lakes last year. There is not much habitation around,” he said.
He added, “If one or two offenders are penalised, it will be a warning to others. Action will be taken in accordance with the provisions of the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act, 2014. It takes time for such measures to be implemented.
In the case of Varthur lake, seven people were penalised. In fact, we want people to become vigilant and send complaints and if possible, the vehicle numbers too. The identity of the informer will not be revealed. After a complaint is filed, action will be taken within three days.”
With KLCDA directing forest officials to take action, Bengaluru (Urban) Deputy Conservator of Forests Deepika Bajpayi said, “We initiated action as soon as we received the complaint. We have found that Bangalore Metro Rail has been dumping debris in Mylasandra Lake on Uttarahalli Main Road. We have now got details of the contractors who have been dumping this debris. We have information on how many vehicles were dumping and we will issue a notice to them soon.”
BMRCL to inspect today
When the issue was brought to the notice of BMRCL, its spokesperson Vasanth Rao said, “We will inspect the spot tomorrow (Tuesday). If the contractors are found to be violating the rules, we will take action against them. We will not tolerate such negligence. They are supposed to dump the debris only in the designated spots.”