The culprits behind Bellandur and Varthur lake disaster
A fine of Rs 50 crores on Karnataka government and the directive from National Green Tribunal to the government to transfer Rs 500 crore to the third party as it failed in cleaning and removing encroachment of Bellandur and Varthur lake last week, has given some hope among activists, however not many are aware of who the culprits behind the pollution of two of the largest water bodies of Bengaluru City.
FollowAfter the National Green Tribunal's directive to Karnataka and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike pay a fine of Rs 50 crores to Central Pollution Control Board and transfer Rs 500 crore into a third-party account for failing to deal with water pollution of Belllandur lake, here are actual culprits behind this foamy mess.
According to Friends of Lakes (FOL), an environmental group and Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF), an NGO that impleaded in the case against State government, unanimously blamed held below responsible:
-Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB),
"As a parent body, KSPCB should have pulled up these agencies in advance. They failed.”
-Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB)
“Second, BWSSB, as they are supposed to ensure not a single drop of sewage is let in lakes, but they were sitting like lame ducks and connecting their sewage pipes into stormwater drains that eventually went into the lake.”
-Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)
“…this agency could have at least stopped BWSSB by issuing notices to stop sewage inflow.”
Ram Prasad also held the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) responsible as they are custodians of the lake.
Agreeing with Ram Prasad, NR Suresh, head of NBF says, the Karnataka government will never bow down to an NGT order, instead, the government will go for an appeal at a higher court to delay the restoration process.
"We know that these agencies in Karnataka failed Bellandur and when we want to correct the system, the government will use legal framework to weaken the fight by appealing at different courts," he said.
