Bellandur sewage may be diverted to Varthur Lake

BENGALURU: The National Green Tribunal's (NGT) directive to clean

Bellandur

Lake in a month and stop dumping of municipal waste around it has brought back smiles to those residing in the vicinity but residents living around the equally polluted Varthur Lake downstream are worried.

The possible diversion of sewage from Bellandur Lake to Varthur Lake, which the civic agencies may find to be a quick and convenient solution given that setting up a treatment plant for the 500 million litres of sewage that enters Bellandur Lake every day will take considerable time. All eyes are now on the meeting of government agencies on Friday, in which the action plan to implement the NGT order will be discussed.

“We welcome the NGT directives on Bellandur Lake.But Varthur Lake too has become a huge breeding ground for mosquitoes and a health and safety disaster is in waiting. Mosquitoes from Varthur Lake are a menace for entire Whitefield. We hope the authorities don't divert sewage flowing into Belladur Lake to Varthur Lake now,“ said

Zibi Jamal

, a member of Whitefield Rising.

Zibi also expressed concern over the tribunal inviting bids for de-weeding and aerators only for Bellandur and not for Varthur Lake.

“In one of its earlier proposals, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (

BWSSB

) had plans to temporarily divert the sewage entering Bellandur to Varthur,“ said a resident of Varthur.

A member of Whitefield Rising said, “Varthur Lake, into which Bellandur Lake overflows, faces issues similar to Bellandur such as industrial effluents, raw sewage, solid waste dumping, encroachments and frothing. We request the NGT to include Varthur Lake too within the scope of its directives.“

A BWSSB official said they were in the process of setting up a 150MLD sewage treatment plant which will start by July . “Another

STP

of 100MLD will also be set up.We, however, have to chalk out a plan to tackle another 100MLD or more,“ he added.