BENGALURU: With not many days left for the next hearing of the National Green Tribunal, civic agencies are trying to expedite the work on cleaning of Bellandur lake. While BDA has taken up deweeding near Sun City Apartments, BWSSB will finalise the tender for bio-mediation process on Monday. The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority (KLCDA) too will zero down on the wetland development designs the same day.
The NGT issued the order on April 19 and the urban bodies are to clean the lake in one month’s time.
Although residents around Bellandur lake have been happy with the recent developments, they say the work needs to be hastened as it is a 900-acre lake. Currently, only two harvesters are removing the weeds from the water surface. The BDA contractor is supposed to get another two harvesters from Mumbai, but sources say they are yet to reach Bengaluru as they are deployed in other parts of the country.
Rajeev S, a local, said, “It is nice to see the harvesters removing the weeds from the lake finally. Also, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) issued closure notices to all the polluting industries. However, we wish the weeds were disposed of simultaneously. We hear that for now, they will be dumped on the lake shore and later sent to composting units or quarry pits.
The accumulated weeds have led to traffic pile-ups early in the mornings. Also, more equipment needs to be put into work to hasten the work.”
KSPCB, which has issued public notification to all the industries in the catchment area of Bellandur lake to shut down, is still analysing the word ‘discharge’ with legal experts, according to a source. “Depending on the legal opinion, the ban will continue or will be lifted in certain cases,” said Board chairman Lakshman.
At a board meeting chaired by Lakshman on Saturday, it was decided that the industries will be reopened after a joint inspection by officials from the Central Pollution Control Board and KSPCB.
Meanwhile, Ramakrishna S M, BWSSB chief engineer (Waste water Management), said, “We had called for expression of interest from private parties to implement bio-mediation process along the drain that is flowing from Koramangala side. So far, we have received two responses. We had given them two weeks time to quote their cost. On May 8 we will finalise the firm for the work.”
Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority CEO Vidyasagar said, “The cost and scope of the wetland development designs will be available by Monday.”