Vehicles disappear into froth as Bengaluru lake foams again
Karnataka will take one or two years to eliminate plumes of toxic foam spewing out of Bengaluru’s lakes, chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday, amid outrage over the health hazard that symbolises the dangers of indiscriminate sewage dumping and unplanned urbanisation.
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) convened a hearing on the carcinogenic foam after frothing at the Bellandur and Varthur lakes reappeared on the back of good rainfall through the week.
On Wednesday, froth spilled over on to the road nearby and enveloped vehicles plying near Bellandur lake, where sewage and industrial discharge is believed to have created a deathly concoction of chemicals that also often sometimes catches fire.
“Government is taking all necessary action. It will be solved in 1-2 years,” Siddaramaiah said.
On Thursday morning, residents of nearby apartment complexes said the froth was blowing into their homes.
Sonal Solanki, a local resident, said the stench was a constant reminder of the toxic waste present nearby. “Nothing is being done about these lakes,” she said. “Clouds of froth are blown into our complex by the wind and it’s a common sight to see this froth floating on our swimming pool.”
The lakes have foamed several times in the past three years, even catching fire, but the government has struggled to stamp down on the untreated sewage dumping said to be the cause of the froth.
The NGT ordered in April that all industries around Bellandur lake be shut and imposed ₹5 lakh fine on anyone found dumping waste in and around it. But many industries are still operating.
According to TV Ramachandra, faculty at the Indian Institute of Science here, who has conducted extensive research on the lakes of Bengaluru, there can no solution till the bureaucracy is reformed.”There is no will to rejuvenate lakes, and every move is thwarted because of those who refuse to accept that there is a problem,” he said.