BENGALURU: Nearly a week after mass fish-kill, Doddagubbi Lake is stinking because civic officials failed to dispose of the dead fish; as a result, the decaying fish have become a breeding ground for maggots and causing a bad odour in the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, villagers in Mitganahalli, Bellahalli and Kannur have alleged that neither the GBA nor Minor Irrigation department has taken responsibility for the issue. The Pollution Control Board, meanwhile, has confirmed that it will issue notices to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited, as leachate from the dumping yard is suspected to have caused contamination.
Raghunandan, JP, a resident and KRS Party functionary, said that last week, following heavy rainfall, leachate from Mitganahalli yard flowed down into the lake and caused contamination, and still no one came and cleared it. “We hold Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) responsible for the mass fish kill,” he said.
The activist also stated that under Shubra Bengaluru, a fund of Rs 11crore was also allocated for lake development, and now, Greater Bengaluru Authority officials claim they have written to the minor irrigation (MI) department to take over the lake as it is the original custodian of the lake, but it is reluctant.
A senior MI official said that had GBA handed over the lake to MI in good condition, after installation of a diversion channel to avoid any sewage or garbage entry into the lake, the department would have considered it. “Only desilting and bund work was taken up. Hence, we are now asking for a joint inspection, seeking total allocation of funds, where it was spent, and current status. Only then can we take it else the department will be under bad light,” said the senior engineer.
The Bengaluru Urban Fisheries Department Deputy Director Chikkanna stated that, due to pollution, almost all the fish have died and a cooperative society to help poor local fishermen community has suffered a loss.
Anand Babu from Yellammadevi Mahila Meenugarara Sahakara Kshema Abhivrudhi Sangha, that has 82 members, said poor families were dependent on the fish catch of tipalia, katla and rohu, and the fish weighed from 500gm to 1.5kg, and entire aquatic life has been destroyed. “We have lost around Rs 20lakh due to mass fish kill,” said Babu.
“The State Pollution Control Board has taken water samples and after the results and cleaning of the lake, next course of action will be decided,” said Chikkanna and added, if the representatives from the society give a representation citing losses due to man-made disaster, we would consider the request for extension of the contract term.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) have stated that prima facie evidence is that BSWML is responsible for the catastrophe at Doddagubbi, hence notice will be issued to top officials seeking an explanation and how they would fix the problem.
“We have directed BSWML officials to take up cleaning, and they have begun work,” the KSPCB official said.