The Hindu             03.02.2014 

BWSSB promises not to dump sewage in two lakes

The Allasandra lake and the Puttenahalli lake in
Bangalore North may soon be rejuvenated with authorities of the
Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) promising to stop flow
of sewage into the two water bodies by February 20.

The
BWSSB authorities agreed to stop sewage flow into the two lakes when
Karnataka Upalokayukta S.B. Majage directed them to do so here on
Sunday.

The Upalokayukta visited the two lakes and
saw that sewage was being let to flow into the lakes and both the water
bodies had been polluted.

At Allasandra lake, the
sewage flows into the lake through two storm water drains – one
connected to Yelahanka and another to Judicial Layout.

Mr.
Majage said that as untreated sewage was entering the lakes, all
efforts being made by Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike to develop the
lakes was going waste. So, he said flow of sewage into the lakes should
be stopped.

He also suggested that Karnataka State
Tourism Development Corporation should provide boating facility at the
Allasandra lake, and authorities concerned should develop aquatic life
in the lake to attract birds.

While the BWSSB
officials accompanying Mr. Majage said that flow of sewage into the lake
would be stopped by February 20, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike
officials promised to provide a temporary bund in the lake to act as
natural filter to stop sewage polluting the entire lake. Yelahanka
United Environment Association (YUVA) secretary B.M. Narayan said that
the BWSSB authorities had also agreed to set up a sewage treatment plant
near the lakes soon.

BWSSB has agreed to study the
feasibility of commissioning a sewage treatment plan at the inlet points
and Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has agreed to fund 30 per cent
of the cost of the plant, Mr. Narayan added.