Bengaluru: It's curtains for six major industrials units polluting the frothing Bellandur lake. Come Monday and they will be sealed by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), acting on the orders of the National Green Tribunal to shut down all polluting industries around the lake.
"According to our records, 488 industries are located in the Bellandur valley. Of them 97 are water based and are polluting the lake," KSPCB chairman, Lakshman, told the Deccan Chronicle.
"Our officials have already carried out inspection of the major polluters and we have served notices to 11 industries two weeks ago. Of them six, which are major polluters of the Bellandur lake, will be sealed on Monday," he revealed.
Emboldened by the NGT's order, the board plans to not only shut down industries around Bellandur that do not treat their effluents to the standards prescribed before letting them into it, but also industries polluting all other lakes across the city, including the Varthur, that has been frothing for a while now as well.
"Besides the industrial effluents, another major culprit is the untreated sewage that is let into the lakes by hundreds of apartments around them. Our officials have already visited 500 apartments and have served notices to those, which do not have a sewage treatment plant (STP). Several criminal cases too have been booked against them," Mr Lakshman disclosed, adding that the board was monitoring the functioning of BWSSB STPs and had advised it to set up more of them.
Expert panel formed to revive lake: George
An expert committee had been formed for the rejuvenation of the polluted Bellandur lake, Bengaluru Development Minister, K. J. George revealed on Friday, adding that the BDA had floated a tender for de-weeding and desilting the lake.
The minister, who was speaking to reporters after throwing open two flyovers , one at Doddanekkundi and the other at Hoodi for public use, said the bid would be opened on Saturday. "We will finalise the contractor after evaluating the technical and financial bids. Also, a meeting has been called of officials of the BDA, BBMP, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board and the Lake Development Authority (LDA) (to discuss the lake's revival)," he revealed.
Promising to use the Rs 7,000 crore allotted for Bengaluru in the budget to turn it into a model city, Mr George also noted that Rs. 210 crore had been earmarked for the development of Mahadevapura with Nagarothana grants.
Meanwhile, Mayor G. Padmavathi, who was also present, said work had begun on comprehensive development of all assembly constituencies in BBMP jurisdiction. Besides signal- free corridors and skywalks, these constituencies will have their roads asphalted, she explained.
Recalling that funds had been set aside in the budget for rejuvenation of lakes like Kalkere, Agara and Rampura , she said the work would begin with the BBMP, government and Lake Development Authority acting in co-ordination.
