After frothing in Varthur & Bellandur, Hosakere lake joins 'elite' list!

Veena G | NT

Bengaluru: Following in the frothy footsteps of Varthur and Bellandur, Hosakere now claims the dubious distinction as Bengaluru's next lake succumbing to the frothing phenomenon. In the last two days, over 120 people have lodged complaints with the Kengeri Hitarakshane Samiti (KHS) about their health issues being aggravated and asthma getting triggered because of the frothing lake.

“Even early in the morning you can smell the stench, at noon because of the sun, the stench only gets stronger.” BM Shivakumar, a resident activist in Kengeri, said that many locals were being troubled by the dirty smell emanating from the lake. “The apartment residents do not follow any sanitary rules. Sewage water from many apartments might have entered the lake.”

Drainage water into Hosakere Lake comes all the way from Mallathalli across the Kengeri Kere. Rahul Dharmasena, Secretary, KHS said, “Ideally, the water coming from Malathahalli should flow smoothly into the lake. But there is a rock that is blocking the flow into the lake. Controlled blasting has to be done to get rid of it."

It is unclear if BWSSB could not get a different line because their drainage pipe is parallel to the lake. Dharmasena said, “Few apartment residents and other small establishments in the area have been bribed to allow their sewage water to enter the lake. This has been happening for 6 to 7 years, now.”

BBMP Chief Engineer (lake division ) Vijaykumar Haridas said that it will take 2 to 3 months to divert the sewage flow. Responding to why no attention had been paid to the situation prior to frothing, he said, "The sewage issue came to light now, there had been no complaints before. Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) did not do anything, maybe they expected the BWSSB to act on this."

The lake management was under BDA until 2019 when it was shifted to the BBMP. In contrast, Dharmasena said, “We have complained to the LDA and BWSSB, and notices have been sent to the apartment and other small establishments but to no effect. They continue to let their sewage water enter the lake. Personally, I observed coordination issues between BWSSB and LDA. No actions have been taken in spite of notices being sent across departments too.”

A prompt decision was taken when the Lake Development Authority visited the lake on Wednesday. The officials suggested starting the work by dewatering the lake on Monday. But the residents resisted and demanded the lake be dewatered the next day itself. The residents have arranged a meeting with BWSSB and BBMP on Monday at the entrance of the lake to address these and other concerns.