Bellandur lake, spread across 900 acres, is finally getting the attention it deserves. But the long period of neglect is taking a toll on the rejuvenation exercise. The agencies which began weeding the city’s largest lake last week are now staring at a humongous quantum of weeds that they don’t know what to do with.
The exercise is expected to yield hundreds of tonnes of weeds consisting mainly of water hyacinth, tall grass, and honagone soppu (an edible green).
P.N. Nayak, member, Engineering, Bangalore Development Authority, said: “Our priority is to get rid of all the weeds in the lake. We are presently stacking up all the weeds on the banks of the lake. There are many suggestions on how to handle them. We will take a call soon.”
Among the measures being discussed is giving them as fodder for cattle.
However, tests have revealed that even the weeds have a concentration of heavy metals, considered unsafe for consumption by animals. As a result, for now, the weeds are being left on the banks of the lake as they weigh heavier than usual because of the moisture content absorbed over time.
“Once they dry up, their volume will decrease by three-fourths,” said Sarfaraz Khan, Joint Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike.
The BBMP is now offering composting of the weeds as the “only feasible solution”.
“The weeds cannot be transported as the volume is too huge. So, we will dig up a 10-ft-deep pit on the banks of the lake and start stack composting,” Mr. Khan said. What this means is after the weeds dry, one bed of weeds will be layered under a layer of cow dung.
Several such layers will be stacked up and compressed in the pit. It is expected to compost in six to nine months.
Residents along the lake, while not objecting to the plan, hope that it will be executed in a scientific manner and not result in a mosquito menace.
