Bengaluru: Varthur Lake has been in the news for two days straight, first for heavy rains unleashing a cloud of chemical, toxic froth on the neighbourhood and second, for an inlet where a massive fire was reported on Tuesday morning. Lake wardens, who discovered the flames at around 9.30 am suspect that the fire began in the illegal garbage dump that lies adjacent to the area.
"Garbage mafia, posing as BBMP workers collect waste from wards under Eastern Bengaluru and bring it to the illegal plant, which is run by Bangladeshi nationals," said Jagadish Reddy Nagappa, a member of the Citizen Lake Warden Committee. "Once the waste is brought here, reusable items like plastic are collected, while the rest is dumped into the lake."
Citizens are aware of the problem and are striving towards a solution, but officials continue to drag their feet on the matter, Nagappa told DC.
Despite the NGT ruling, which has ordered the BBMP to fine defaulters a sum of Rs 5 lakh for dumping garbage into the lake, no action has been taken. “The BBMP isn’t using this power as it should,” he remarked, although garbage is brought to the illegal plant in autorickshaws bearing BBMP signboards!
