Bellandur lake foam: “What is this going on? How are you getting so much of foam?” an NGT bench had asked Karnataka government in May. (Source: ANI_News/Twitter)
Bengaluru’s famous Bellandur Lake was spilling toxic foam onto its streets after a week of heavy rainfall on Thursday, even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that the problem will be solved in one or two years. The toxic spillage from the Bellandur lake became even worse after Tuesday’s downpour, which saw the highest rainfall for the month of August in over a decade. Residents complained of foul smell and pollution with some claiming that the toxic froth has entered their homes. The toxic foam spilled over onto the road on Wednesday night, enveloping nearby vehicles.
Commenting on the situation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was quoted by news agency ANI as saying: “It is there, it will be solved within 1 or 2 years. The government is taking all necessary actions.”
“This foam problem has been there for a very long time. Due to heavy rain for past two days, the water level has increased and now the foam has overloaded the whole bridge. Because of this, it is difficult for commuters to drive on the road. The residents are also trying hard to solve this matter,” a local resident Jitesh told ANI.
Bellandur Lake, which is one of the largest of the 262 lakes in Bengaluru, has spilled toxic foam many times in the recent past. Taking cognizance of it, the National Green Tribunal took the matter suo motu. Earlier in April, it had directed immediate and complete shutdown of 76 polluting industries around the lake. The directive came after a mound of garbage was set on fire in February causing massive pollution in the area.
Bengaluru lake spills toxic foam: “First you put your lakes on fire and now cause traffic jam. You can’t do this. Look into this matter and resolve it,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar told Karnataka government in May. (Source: ANI_News/Twitter)
On May 18, NGT had also directed the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) to inspect if the industries around the lake had been shut down or not. The green court also expressed displeasure over the steps taken by the different state government agencies for the restoration of the Bellandur lake.
“What is this going on? How are you getting so much of foam? Why can’t you remove the factor which generates foam? There are traffic jams which further leads to air pollution. First you put your lakes on fire and now cause traffic jam. You can’t do this. Look into this matter and resolve it,” a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.
Bellandur lake: The toxic foam spilled over onto the road enveloping nearby vehicles. (Source: ANI_News/Twitter)
