Bellandur weed to power up Bengaluru?

Bengaluru: There’s a new solution for  Bellandur lake. A company is keen on generating power from its weeds, according to Mr A N Yellappa Reddy, a member of the technical committee formed by the government to come up with ways to revive the frothing lake.

Speaking to the Deccan Chronicle, he said the technology involved converted weeds and hyacinth into phytomass and then into gas, which could be condensed and filled into cylinders. The company, that had come forward with the idea, had already entered an MoU with Britannia to supply gas- filled cylinders, he revealed. “Deweeding and aeration with an oxygen diffusion system  can be effective in preserving the biodiversity of the lake,” he explained, adding that this could be the solution for both Bellandur and Varthur lakes.

“Besides, a wetland will be formed to take care of the sewage and contaminated water that enters the lake during the rainy season. This way the water dissolved oxygen level and biological oxygen demand level will be maintained for the survival of fish and to attract migratory birds too,”  he said, adding the evaluation report of the company would be sent to the government , which would take a call on it.  While revealing that a second company too had come up with a proposal to revive the lake, he did not go into details.

Meanwhile in its report submitted to the Additional Chief Secretary , Mahendra Jain, the committee has suggested the BWSSB set up Sewerage Treatment Plants and augment the capacity of the existing plants to curb the flow of raw sewage into the lake. It has also suggested that a cell be formed to keep tabs on the indiscriminate dumping of waste into it.