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Updated October 1st, 2021 at 20:29 IST

NGT orders BBMP, BWSSB, MEG to pay Rs 23.71 Cr over degradation of Bengaluru's Ulsoor lake

The report highlighted that the water contamination indicates that untreated sewage is still being discharged in lake, water quality hasn't improved since 2020

Reported by: Aakansha Tandon
NGT
Image: PTI | Image:self
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Taking strict action against the environmental damages caused due to the failure of several agencies to upkeep Bangalore’s Ulsoor lake, the National Green Tribunal has levied a hefty penalty of Rs. 23.71 crore to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board ( BWSSB) and Madras Engineering Group and Centre (MEG) as compensation for the environmental damage. 

NGT issues Rs. 23.17 crore penalty on BBMP

After inspecting the condition of the lake, the joint committee set up by the NGT to overlook the sanitary condition of the lake had found that despite suggesting several recommendations to improve the condition of the lake, the BBMP, BWSSB and MEG and Centre had only partially implemented the order. The tribunal had also assessed the water quality, which had not improved over time. 

Commenting on the same, environmental activist Leo Saldanha hailed the NGT’s decision while speaking to Republic Media Network, and said that, “it is phenomenal that NGT, in an unprecedented order has asked the federal agencies to pay Rs. 23 crore for environmental damages.”

He further added, “Sewage treatment plants, slaughterhouses and even treatment plants running without complying with standards are some of the reasons behind the pollution of the lakes. There are over 100 lakes in Bengaluru city that are mostly polluted, one can imagine the monetary fine that the agencies would have to pay for all of them. This was a reminder by NGT for agencies who thought they can systematically violate the law/ tribunal orders. This was the reminder that the government agencies can’t escape the law.”

While speaking to Republic Media Network, BBMP commissioner Gaurav Gupta informed that “a meeting was called by the joint commissioner with the relevant stakeholders on the Ulsoor lake issue and BBMC will further take up the matter in directions of the National Green Tribunal.”

On another hand, Commissioner MEG Brigadier TPS Wadhwa refused to comment on the penalty imposed by the green tribunal. However, he had maintained that ''MEG has been overlooking the development of the Ulsoor lake over the years.'' Addressing the press, he said, “pollution in the lake is beyond the purview of the MEG.”

Water condition in Ulsoor lake same as 2020: Report

The joint panel had inspected the work done by the concerned authorities on maintaining the Ulsoor lake on the basis of the recommendations made by the NGT on August 10, 2020.

The report submitted by the joint panel mentions that the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has been monitoring the quality of the Ulsoor Lake water every month under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme and the Board’s Programme. The Joint Committee has carried out water quality monitoring of Ulsoor Lake at three locations on July 28, 2021, and the analysis of the results show that the water quality of Ulsoor lake has higher concentrations of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Coliform and Fecal Coliform.

The report highlighted that the water contamination indicates that the untreated/partially treated sewage is still being discharged to the lake and the water quality of the lake is not improved compared to the water quality recorded during the earlier inspection of the Joint Committee in May 2020.

Image: PTI 

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Published October 1st, 2021 at 03:59 IST

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