Varthur lake froths again: Water goes down drains, not to Kolar

BENGALURU: Varthur Lake is frothing again. Residents of areas surrounding Bellandur and Varthur lakes, and former members of the National Green Tribunal-appointed committee pointed out that there is frothing in Varthur lake, along with accumulation of polluted water at the outlet over the past two months.

They said that BWSSB has not been treating water at Koramangala-Challaghatta Valley (KC valley), and that of 600 MLD installed capacity, only 30-40 MLD is being treated. The Minor Irrigation Department (MID) is not pumping water from Bengaluru downstream to Kolar and other districts, and instead, both treated and untreated water is flowing back into the drains. The committee also pointed out that some of the untreated water is flowing from Varthur lake downstream, causing groundwater contamination, which has angered residents of Kolar.

The Karnataka government had undertaken a project, costing Rs 1,450 crore, to pump 10tmcft of water annually from Bengaluru to fill 300 tanks downstream, including 136 in Kolar. BWSSB Chairman N Jayaram denied allegations of the committee members, and claimed that water was being treated to its full capacity, following which it was released into storm water drains, as the MID has refused to pump water downstream.

C Mrutyunjaya Swamy, Secretary, MID, said treated water was not being released to Kolar as the lakes are full after heavy showers. Pumping water downstream has been halted for over a month. The state government is not keen on pumping water downstream to other states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh after investing energy and money in Karnataka, and so, pumping had been stopped at Mulbagal, the last point to the Pennar river.