Animal and Poultry Waste Continue To Land Up In Lakes

Lakes become victim of animal waste dump. BBMP not able to handle non vegetarian shops with iron hands. Every night, the workers from these stalls dump waste in lake and storm water drain. Pollution board to send notices to BBMP Solid Waste Manageement for failure to stop these menace.

Despite the directions from the National Green Tribunal that dumping of any kind of waste in the lakes is prohibited. If anyone happens to do the same then the person will be fined Rs five lakh and he will be prosecuted for the same. But it seems non vegetarian shops like chicken stall, fish stall, mutton and beef stall in Bengaluru have not taken it seriously and continue to send the animal and poultry waste into lakes.                             

Most of the lakes in Bengaluru are not only polluted by the sewage flow or industrial effluents but also by illegal dumping of animal waste. Recently, Ullal lake in RR Nagar witnessed large amount of animal waste dumping. Similarly, two years ago Bellandur lake and Jakkur lake witnessed some dead chickens dumped in the lake.

Ram Prasad, member of FOL, said, "Places like Chikkabanavara, Singapura and Benniganahalli lake were in the news for illegal dumping of animal waste. This is result of unchecked waste Clearance from non vegetarian shops. Many of these shops pay Rs 100 for garbage trucks that collect waste, but  they are not sure where the trucks come to collect the waste. In few places where the shops are big, they bring in autos and dump at night and vanish."          

 Apart from this eateries also should be stopped from dumping garbage of leftover food in storm water drains as the water flows to lake and also leads to pollution.                                                

Ajay Kumar from  SWACHA, an NGO works for  waste Management says, the animal waste is going in lakes because there is no proper processing. From Swacha we had given a proposal to set up the animal waste processing plant for just 16.5 lakh in MS Palaya. But the BBMP has canceled our report. They will not do it nor they will allow others to do it. Due this apathy, the non veg shops are illegally dumping animal waste into lakes."

 The Karnataka State Pollution Board which is aware of the situation of solid waste dispose and pollution of lake has sent notices to BBMP, Forest Department, to ensure the lakes in their jurisdiction are well protected and asked the BBMP to not allow any waste, garbage coming into lakes.

The solid waste management department of BBMP will have to ensure all the non vegetarian shops fall in line and send their waste compost unit. "Next time an animal waste is found in lakes, show cause notice will be issued to solid waste management," said Lakshman.