BANGALORE: The Lake Development Authority (LDA) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board’s (BWSSB) plans to set up a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) at Agara Lake has been opposed by residents of HSR Layout and members of Agara Lake Protection and Management Committee (ALPMC).
At a meeting organised by LDA to elicit opinion on rejuvenation and development of the lake on Saturday, the residents strongly opposed any such move. They also urged LDA to protect the lake and take up other development activities.
BWSSB and LDA officials, environmentalist Yellappa Reddy and Bomannahalli MLA Satish Reddy tried explaining about the importance of the STP in the lake bed. He said the LDA had allocated `2 crore to set up the plant, but `30 crore will be needed for the project.
However, both HSR Layout residents and ALPMC members raised objection citing the failure of a similar STP at Madivala Lake. “The STP has a capacity to treat 4 million litres per day (MLD) but is receiving over 20 MLD. The same should not happen here,” ALPMC joint secretary Kavitha Reddy said.
Approving such projects may also result in waste of public money, she said. The performance of STPs set up in other lakes must be checked before setting up in Agara Lake, she stressed. She said the proposed STP will only benefit a special economic zone coming up nearby and not residents.
Echoing similar sentiments, another member, J Krishna Nair, said, “Agara Lake has natural bio-filters and efforts to stop sewage water should be taken up. Rajakaluves that were shut following construction of a flyover should be opened so that only rain water comes into the lake.”
Environmentalist Yellappa Reddy said there should be no worry about the STP as it is a proven technique and moreover, it is being set up following a court order. Once the lake is full, ground water will be recharged within a 5 km radius of the lake, he said.
LDA executive engineer Nagaraj said, “The 95 acre lake was in good condition and it was handed over to the BDA in 2002. The BDA gave it to a private firm for development in 2006, but there was no progress. A tender was called later and the matter went to court. The case dragged on till 2012 and now we are in a position to improve the lake.”