The United Bengaluru coming together of NGOs and experts that had planned a visit at Subramanyapura lake on Saturday, surprisingly, the miscreants had broken the boundary to drain out the sewage water from the lake to make it look healthy.
The lake was in news recently as the BBMP trucks were found dumping garbage in Subramanyapura lake premises in Uttarahalli. The lake is spread across 18.24 acres and the current water holding capacity is about 7 acres. Now, miscreants have damaged the waste weir (a wall or boundary to prevent waste getting inside lake) as few activist, experts and lake enthusiasts had planned a visit to lake.
"This lake smells bad. There are few apartments close by and we suspect that their sewage entering into the lake. The fear of getting caught if the sewage is found during inspection may have forced few miscreants to break the weir and drain all the sewage. The experts during their visit would have made note of this situation and may have pressurised the government to crack a whip of apartment dwellers," said an activist.
He further alleged that, the land mafia is behind this act of damaging lake boundary. The land rates in Uttarahalli is high and hence they are targeting lakes.
Girish a resident of BHCS layout who is residing since last four years says, the dumping of waste and release of sewage has increased in last two years and from last three weeks, the lake has witnessed froth. "We have given complaint to multiple authority, but not a single agency improved the lake," he said.
Apart from complaining to the public representatives, the residents complained to the KSPCB, however till now no action has been taken against the BBMP authorities.
Karnataka State Pollution Board Chairperson, Lakshman had deputed his officer along with BBMP and inspected the spot. For now a report will be filed with police and later the lake will be taken up for development.
Hanumanthaiah the local corporator said that Rs 3 crores has been allocated to for the development of the lake and very shortly the works will be taken up. "The dewatering, desilting, fencing, and deputing of guards to protect from garbage will all be taken care," he said. He further added that, along with civil works, the separate sewage line will be put to divert all the sewage and ensure only rain water enters the lake.