It took 100 personnel from the Madras Engineer Group (MEG), and 50 marshals and personnel from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) five days to clean the 113-acre Ulsoor lake. Nearly 65 truck loads of hyacinth and different kinds of waste were removed.
Over the past five days, 10 boats were used to clear weeds and different kinds of floating waste items from the lake. On Friday, BBMP Commissioner B.H. Anil Kumar, accompanied by senior MEG officials, inspected the intensive cleaning drive.
From the BBMP's East zone, 150 personnel, lorries, tankers and other equipment were used to clear the lake during the intensive cleaning drive.
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BBMP's Chief Engineer (Lakes) Mohan Krishna told reporters that over the past six months, nearly 40% of the lake was covered with hyacinth. The intensive cleaning drive will continue for another week and the entire water body will be cleared of waste and hyacinth. MEG personnel and BBMP will clear the waste from the wetland, he said and clarified that the civic body is not spending anything on cleaning the lake.
Mr. Mohan Krishna also said that the civic body had earlier tied up with Prestige Group for maintenance of the area surrounding the lake. The memorandum of understanding expired in November. A new MoU will be signed for maintenance of the entire lake.
Citizens and local communities dump waste in the raja kaluve and the portion of the lake next to the gurudwara. The civic body would take steps to prevent this from recurring, he added.
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