Residents don’t want an STP on Agara lake bed

Point to the failure of a similar project in Madiwala lake

Plans to set up a sewage treatment plant (STP) on Agara lake bed came under criticism from residents of the HSR Layout on Saturday during a public hearing organised to seek suggestions for rejuvenation of the water body.

The public hearing had been organised by the Lake Development Authority (LDA). Officials of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewage Board (BWSSB), Bommanahalli legislator Satish Reddy and environmentalist A.N. Yellappa Reddy participated.

While residents and members of the Agara Lake Protection and Management Committee (ALPMC) opposed setting up of the STP, authorities tried to convince them about its potential in the rejuvenation process.

Explaining the developments, a LDA official said that the 95-acre lake had been given to BDA by the Forest Department in 2002. The BDA handed it over to a private party for development in 2006. At some point, the arrangement was cancelled. The private party challenged the cancellation in court. The case went on till 2012.

Pointing to the failure of an STP in Madiwala lake, residents said that the project would be a waste of money. “The STP at Madiwala lake has a capacity to treat 4 million litres of water per day (MLD), but receives 20 MLD instead. This should not be repeated at Agara,” said the committee’s joint secretary, Kavitha Reddy. The residents said the lake has natural bio-filters. Instead of setting up an STP, they suggested stopping the dumping of sewage. The flow of water into the lake has been affected due to the construction of flyovers on storm-water drains, they said.

Allaying their fears, Mr. Yellappa Reddy said that the STP is a proven technology and also pointed out that it was being set up following a court order. He said that the capacity of the proposed STP is 3 MLD. “When the Agara lake is full, ground water in a radius of five km will be recharged,” he said.

Mr. Satish Reddy directed LDA officials to prepare a detailed project report, stating that the budget of Rs. 2 crore earmarked for the lake’s development was not sufficient.