Bellandur lake foam: Residents running out of patience as rains pound Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Dec 2: Even as the state government consults with a firm from Hungary to sort out the foaming problem at the Bellandur lake in Bengaluru, the residents do not sound too optimistic.

Various residents and activists who have been protesting say that the government has been too slow to react on the issue and squarely blamed the urbanisation and the real estate mafia for the problem.

The Bellandur lake has become a subject for debate after foam began to form. From a distance it looks as though the lake is covered in snow, but in reality it is a result of pollution. Various environmentalists who are studying the problem and also seeking a solution say that the lake is 90 per cent polluted.

A test conducted with the water sample at the Indian Institute of Sciences clearly showed that the lake was contaminated. There were traces of nitrate, sulphate and potassium which had led to the contamination of the lake.

Residents say that the problem begins with the manner in which sewage is treated. The government has decided to build a sewage treatment plant, but experts feel that it would not solve the problem. The Bellandur lake receives a lot of sewage water and this alone takes three days to flow out of the lake. The problem is that even if the sewage water is flowing out, the nitrate and potassium contaminates the water.

Rains add to the problem:

For the residents it has been nothing short of a nightmare. The water levels are rising due to the incessant rains in the city and this has only added to the problem at Bellandur lake. Residents have been complaining that due to the rising water levels, the drinking water is contaminated and they fear health issues.

The authorities have been too slow to react to the problem, residents tell OneIndia. Even if the government is proposing to clean up the lake, they must also ensure that the problem does not return. There is a need to ensure that the water is not contaminated in future and only this will provide a long term solution, residents also say.

Government in talks with firm from Hungary:

Earlier this week, the state government held talks with a firm from Hungary to look into the problem. The firm which specialises in addressing issues relating to water contamination has inspected the lake and will give suggestions to the government.

The government has assured the firm that all suggestions would be taken and implemented as they want a solution to the problem at the earliest.

Meanwhile experts also suggesting that the government undertakes a process called Bioremediation. This process relies on living organisms to consume and break down the compound. This would turn the compound into a harmless natural substance. The experts feel that this is a better solution when compared to collecting the pollutant and storing it.

OneIndia News