Submit action plan, status report on pollution in Bellandur lake: NGT


New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS): The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday summoned top officials from Karnataka and asked them to come up with a plan and status report over pollution in Bengaluru's Bellandur lake.

A bench headed by NGT chief Justice Swatanter Kumar directed the Secretary of Karnataka's Urban Development Ministry and Lake Development Authority to submit an action plan on cleaning the lake within ten days.

The NGT also asked the Secretary to make a statement on record over the present situation of the highly polluted Bellandur lake, which the top official could not.

"Come back with a action plan on how the lake would be cleaned and the status report of the situation of pollution in the lake," the bench directed the officials.

Last week, the NGT called on top officials of the Karnataka government seeking an explanation on the action taken by them.

The NGT was informed that fresh froth has emanated from Bellandur lake and spread on to the streets of the surrounding. The local residents had also been complaining of a pungent stench from the lake.

Earlier on April 19, the NGT ordered all industries around the lake to be shut and imposed Rs five lakh fine on anyone found dumping waste in and around the lake.

The green panel in April gave the state authorities one month's time to free the lake of all pollutants.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) then said that it would soon draw an action plan to comply with the NGT order.

However, the authorities failed to provide the status report of the lake even four months after the order.

The highly polluted Bellandur lake caught fire on February 17 due to toxic effluents in it.

Bellandur lake, the largest of the 262 lakes and tanks in Bengaluru, receives about 40 per cent of the city's sewage.

The Union Environment Ministry had last year said that everyday about 1,280 million litres of sewage is generated in Bengaluru, while the city's infrastructure has the capacity to handle only 721 million litres of sewage.

Since 137 out of 500 sewage treatment plants are defunct, only 600 million litres sewage is treated and the rest goes to the lakes.

The central government had in April 2016 said that it would invest Rs 800 crore to rejuvenate the lakes in Bengaluru, especially the Bellandur lake.

  

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Comment on this article

  • flavian dsouza, chik/bengaluru

    Wed, Aug 23 2017

    NGT should play a larger role not just send warnings - why cant they recommend and have a plan in place to help do such activtivies . They should also be held jointly responsible

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Bengaluru/Katapadi

    Wed, Aug 23 2017

    Better to entrust this work to foreign agencies who may be more effective in solving this problem

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Flavian dsouza, chik/bengaluru

    Wed, Aug 23 2017

    Its good NGT is making efforts to clean up bellandur lake but focus on larger issues like ganga, yamuna and major rivers which are so important to ensure indias growth can be sustained .
    I dont see a single cae by NGT on major rivers and its cleanliness

    DisAgree [2] Agree [2] Reply Report Abuse

  • j.anata, Mangaluru / Bengaluru

    Wed, Aug 23 2017

    Sarjapur, Bellandur and Varthur lake issue persists for last three years. The Bangalore Development Authority and BBMP, the Nodal agencies for execution have not done anything all these days. Not only this, around 250 small scale polluting industries are still not shut down to the known corruption issue.

    The Bangalore Development Minister, George should actually push hard the nodal agencies to safeguard the lakes immediately as per HC order. Leaving aside politics, he as well as Siddu needs to take personal interest in closing down this embarrassing issue for state

    DisAgree Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • J.F.D SOUZA, Attavar, Mangalore

    Wed, Aug 23 2017

    Its an old issue. Prompt action should have been taken to solve this problem. Why no action has been taken so far by the concerned Department?

    DisAgree Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Aug 23 2017

    Let us start with 'Ganga' ...

    DisAgree [7] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Swamy, Mangalore

    Tue, Aug 22 2017

    First of all why raw sewage water flows into the lake. Sewage water should be treated and left into the flowing rivers and lakes. Next, most of the places we have open sewage flow. This should be stopped and made into closed sewage pipe line with provision for future expansion. It is good for environment and disease prevention.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [11] Reply Report Abuse


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