Wondering why the State government could not use foreign technology and expertise to clean the polluted Bellandur lake when the same was used for a small aspect like designing Indira Canteens, the Karnataka High Court on Friday asked the Commissioner of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). He was told to submit within eight weeks a revised action plan for rejuvenation of the lake.
A division bench comprising Justice H.G. Ramesh and Justice Mohammad Nawaz issued the direction to the BDA commissioner, who is heading the monitoring committee on Bellandur lake while asking to hold talks with all the public authorities and the stakeholders involved in the rejuvenation process.
The bench was hearing a petition filed in 2015 by Rajya Sabha member D. Kupendra Reddy complaining about the failure of authorities to prevent the lake from being polluted.
Pointing out that the government cannot take up the task of cleaning the lake in a piece-meal manner, the bench advised the government to engage proper experts and technology so that public money does not go down the drain and benefit private contractors.
“We are known as ‘Silicon City’ and are rich in garbage. We can generate electricity from garbage as some Scandinavian countries like Norway are doing. Only technical expertise is lacking...” the bench observed.
Earlier, Additional Chief Secretary Mahendra Jain clarified that desilting of Bellandur lake is not possible as this process requires ₹330 crore. He pointed out that the process of setting up Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs), as per an earlier action plan submitted to the court, is under way and the entire process will be completed by 2020.
Mr. Jain also clarified to the court that fire near the lake had not occurred in the water body, but on the periphery as dry grass, which had been left by farmers, had caught fire accidentally.
The bench adjourned further hearing till September 18.