The issue of the deteriorating health of lakes is shaping up to be a showdown between civic bodies and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB).
In a strongly-worded letter sent on February 11, KSPCB has said that though directions and notices had been issued nearly a year ago, the civic agencies — Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), Lake Development Authority (LDA) and Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board (KUWS&SB) — seem to have not taken any action.
In a veiled threat to the agencies, KSPCB has asked representatives to meet them on Tuesday to decide on the “further course” of action.
“There is no response from any of the departments on the status of action taken... the public complaints are pouring in to the KSPCB office … the report of the watchdog committee (set up the Board) indicates that lakes are polluted and an immediate action is required,” said the letter.
Though saying that criminal action against the civic chiefs would be unlikely, KSPCB chief Vaman Acharya said, “We can understand the administrative difficulties – budgets and transfer of officers – in following our directions. The meeting is like a warning to get the agencies to commit to a plan for the protection of lakes, and to make them accountable before complainants who have approached us.”
The Board has told the civic agencies that some citizens have threatened to go to the court if action is not taken.
Activist Wing Commander G.B. Athri (retd.), who has pursued the KSPCB to take action on lakes, said, “It is the duty of the BBMP and BDA to protect lakes. Degradation of lakes is a serious problem that will lead to sanitation issues and water shortage. If the KSPCB does not take action, we will have to approach the court.”
In various surveys, it has been conclusively shown that the health of lakes has been on a downward curve.
T.V. Ramachandra from IISc. catalogues the disappearance of nearly 2,000 lakes.
A report from Namma Bengaluru Foundation last year had documented the encroachment and flow of sewage into 43 lakes.
