Bengaluru: The Bommanahalli Industrial area in city is one of most polluted places in the country, according to a study commissioned by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests.
Bommasandra and Jigani industrial areas in East Bengaluru are also among the most polluted areas in the city. There are a number of industries that have contributed to air, ground and water pollution in the area.
There are a number of stone cutting and polishing units, which spew stone dust and stone waste is dumped in vacant lands.
According to the study Karnataka with 24 contaminated sites stood fourth in the country, behind Odisha (31), West Bengal (36) and Uttar Pradesh (41).
There are 320 contaminated sites in the country.
The study defined contaminated area as places where the constituents and characteristics of the toxic and hazardous substances, caused by humans, exist at levels and in conditions which pose existing or imminent threats to human health and/or the environment.
The report, funded by the World Bank, is prepared by a consortium consisting of consulting group COWI as lead partner in association with voluntary organization KADAM, with engineering firms Witteveen+Bos and Tauw as sub-consultants.
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has confirmed the nine of the 24 sites were contaminated, and is examining the remaining 15.
As for Bommasandra Industrial Area, KSPCB officials admitted that there was contamination of electroplating waste, with stone polishing slurry, but was only one per cent.
KSPCB said the waste would be dried and sent to TSDF (Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility) in Bengaluru.
