BBMP workers remove dead fish but Ulsoor lake still stinks

Ulsoor lake had an overpowering smell on Tuesday, a day after hundreds of fish were found dead floating in one of Bengaluru’s most famous waterbodies.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) got workers to remove the fish but morning walkers and those passing by the lake opposite MEG Gate said they had to cover their noses to escape the unbearable stench.

“I saw some workers removing the dead fish in the morning, but they did a poor job of it. Some dead fish were still floating in some parts of the lake,” said Kalidas Reddy, a regular walker. According to him, the stench was not as overpowering on Monday when the incident came to light.

Ulsoor corporator Mamatha Saravana, who visited the lake, put the number of dead fish at 200-300 and said steps were being taken to clear all of them. She said she would discuss with BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad how to rejuvenate the lake.

Mamatha reiterated her demand that the Department of Fisheries cancel the fishing rights awarded to private players, saying the move affected aquatic life and depleted oxygen level in the lake. She said she would take up the matter with the BBMP commissioner.

Officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) also visited the lake. KSPCB chairperson Lakshman attributed the fishkill to the heavy rainfall in the last week and the overflowing sewage.

“The BWSSB has been asked to set up a sewage treatment plant at the lake. We checked the Dissolved Oxygen level in the lake and found it below one, while it should be between four and five. The low DO level is one of the reasons for the fishkill,” Lakshman said.