Draft a plan to check sewage entering SWDs: HC to Palike

The High Court of Karnataka on Monday directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahangara Palike and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to draft a plan for preventing discharge of sewage into stormwater drains (SWDs) which are linked to lakes.

During the hearing of a petition filed by Citizens’ Action Group, the BBMP and BWSSB admitted to rampant encroachment and illegal discharge of sewage into SWDs. The counsel for the Palike submitted that of the total 1,418 encroachments on SWDs, 447 had already been cleared.

“The SWDs opening into lakes have to dealt with in a scientific manner and any leakage of sewerage into lake has to strategically prevented by initiating criminal action against people responsible for it,” a bench comprising Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice R B Budihal said, and directed the BBMP and BWSSB to work in tandem.

The bench also directed BBMP and BWSSB to create public awareness against polluting drains and lakes.

When the counsels for the two civic agencies brought up the interference of corporators while initiating action against encroachers, the bench observed, “Representatives of people, elite and enlightened people, NGOs concerned with the well being of lakes and water bodies of the City will realise the importance of the clean-up and maintenence of SWDs and co-operate with statutory agencies and ensure tanks and SWDs are maintained in the manner they have to be, even at the inconvenience of some private persons.”
DH News Service