On a recent visit to Agara Lake by Santosh Hegde, the former Karnataka Lokayukta and head of the Lake Development Plan set up by the National Green Tribunal, he was exposed to the BWSSB’s lies. When he spotted sewage flowing in the stormwater drain abutting the lake, BWSSB officials admitted that the sewage treatment plant (STP) did not have a provision to let only treated water into the drain and lake. If this continues, the stink will be similar to the one that the residents are suffering from in the neighbouring Kudlu area due to the unscientific management of the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC).
Hegde was appalled by the “shoddy work” of the BWSSB and the massive drain in public money. He questioned how an STP can be built without a provision for treating water. He has written about BWSSB’s lies to the NGT, so that the top court can take action on this civic agency.
“All those who were claiming victory on STP should know the fact that due to their hasty, unscientific and lack of understanding the lake system, it has lead to a disaster in our locality,” says resident and lake activist Kavitha Reddy. “Some of us opposed STP inside the Agara Lake as it was against the very Lake system, but a few residents went to court forcing back the STP. Some of us who were against the STP inside the lake withdraw the plea when the Lake Development Authority (LDA) promised that the land inside the lake will not be given as it’s against the NGT rules.”
BWSSB’s lies don’t stop there. According to those in the know, the civic agency converted an earlier 2MLD Membrane Tech plant into a 35MLD ordinary treatment plant. “They also lied to NGT that they will give some water to Agara Lake but never made a provision for it!” says Reddy. “This is a lesson to the few people who make claims on STP victory when it’s evident that they has done injustice not only to the lake but also to the locality that has to bear the stink of 35MLD sewage treatment plant!”
In a letter to Hegde, the Agara Lake Protection & Management Society (ALPMS) has asked them to take up the following issues on priority:
- Rajakaluve on 14th Main: BBMP has not de-silted or cleaned the Rajakaluve, due to which both the inlet and outlets of the Agara Lake are blocked. During heavy rains due to the blockage, the water flows back into the lake from the outlet
- Caving inn of Walking Track: Between Gate 1 and Gate 4 due to leakage in BWSSB underground drainage line, part of the jogging track in Agara Lake premises collapsed. Though fixed later, it still poses a danger to the lake and the visitors as the BWSSB has not owned up the issue which the residents believe is due to the failures of the Jakkasandra pumping station of BWSSB.
- Pending connection of the raw sewage line to manhole by BWSSB: BWSSB had agreed to complete the raw sewage line that opens near the lake inlet and goes till the manhole a few meters away. But it’s been pending for over 18 months, leading to sewage entering the inlet along with the rainwater.
- BWSSB STP: After this citizen group objected to the massive STP inside Agara Lake (replacing the Wetlands) highlighting that the lake’s rainwater has always been a source of good quantity water, LDA gave the lake land outside the lake on the other side of the road. Initially BWSSB was planning only a 2MLD Membrane Technology Plant. Now it is upgraded to 35MLD claiming that the treated water will be provided to Agara Lake. But the STP’s detailed project report (DPR) has no provision to let the treated water into the lake. When the lake land was taken by the BWSSB that claimed to treat the water (which is 0.5MLD evaporation) that will be provided to Agara Lake, letting the treated water directly into the same Rajakaluve that is carrying raw waste water defeats the purpose of the STP that is built using public money.
- Funding for maintenance: Agara Lake needs good maintenance and the funds allocated to LDA has to be transferred to Forest Dept who are responsible for the maintenance of the lake now.
