NGT lake panel term ends, citizens fear apathy again

BENGALURU: With the tenure of the National Green Tribunal-appointed committee on the rejuvenation of lakes having ended, citizens are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping that restoration of the lakes will not be met with official apathy.In December 2018, the NGT appointed a committee headed by former Lokayukta Justice N Santhosh Hegde to oversee the rejuvenation and protection of Agara, Bellandur and Varthur lakes. The committee submitted its report to the NGT which, in an order dated March 12, directed the Karnataka Chief Secretary to implement the work prescribed by the committee in its report. 

Now, citizen activits who were involved with the proceedings regarding the lakes in the NGT, want the state government to give formal recognition to a citizens’ monitoring committee to ensure that the government carries out the committee’s recommendations.

“Since the (NGT) monitoring committee been dissolved, and the Chief Secretary will be monitoring rejuvenation efforts, it is imperative that a citizen monitoring committee is in place for effective monitoring, accountability and transparency,” said an activist who worked with NGT Committee.

However, a member told TNIE, “I have my doubts that the state government will be able to complete the works, especially desilting by June (before the onset of monsoon). Completion of 150 MLD (million litres per day) sewage treatment plant needs to be done along with a small STP adjoining Madiwala, and another 150 MLD STP towards Koramanagala.” 

Committee members said their tenure of slightly over two years, was a stressful one because of the attitude of the officials. “Despite setting repeated deadlines and holding regular meetings, the work moved at a snail’s pace. In some cases, work has not even begun,” a committee member said.The report notes that the progress of the work was slow and that a huge amount of construction debris is being dumped on roads near the lake.