BENGALURU: The Varthur Lake, and its inlet and outlet channels, have started frothing again. Citizens blame the lackadaisical attitude of the government and civic agencies in completing restoration work within the stipulated time. Citizens and former members of the National Green Tribunal (NGT)-constituted committee said sewage treatment plants were to be constructed by March 2021, but are still not completed.
Former NGT committee members also pointed out that the chief secretary-headed committee, which was to be formed after the term of the NGT-constituted committee ended in March 2020, was not done, let alone hold meetings with citizens.
A citizen committee member told TNIE, “The STPs were to be completed in September 2020, but the government sought an extension from the NGT, and gave a commitment of March 2021, but even then was not done. Now, untreated sewage and polluted water continue to flow into the lake. Frothing is an indication of bad water quality.”
Citizens residing around the lake, who were acting as its custodians, said pictures of untreated water, plastic and garbage flowing in the water body were shared with government officials, but to no avail.
Desilting of Bellandur and Varthur lakes has also come to a near-halt. The target was to clean the two water bodies by 2022, but so far, only 30,000 truckloads of silt have been cleared, and the lakes are filled with rainwater and untreated sewage water.
Of the 110 villages added to BBMP limits, 36 are in Mahadevapura zone, which are yet to get proper sewage and water lines; 14 STPs were to be set up in KC, Hebbal and Nagawara valleys. A former NGT-constituted committee member said no work was done by the committee. Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development Department, Rakesh Singh said work had slowed down because of the rain and pandemic.