BBMP dumping yard puts Kundalahalli Lake in danger

Garbage dumping, which has increased tremendously in the past few years, is threatening Kundalahalli lake with activists stating that mounds of waste may be slipping into the lake.

Residents of Kundalahalli in East Bengaluru said garbage and construction debris at the periphery of the lake have reached dangerous heights. While the waste is sliding to the footpath on Kundalahalli main road, they fear that it may be getting mixed with water on the other side.

The residents with the help of civic body had rejuvenated the lake a year ago with the help of corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds. They had installed a sewage treatment plant that is currently in operation.

Besides, there is a 20-acre landfill near the lake where the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) solid waste management contractors segregate the waste. All this has turned a bugbear to the residents in the vicinity of the lake.

Lake activists claimed that the construction debris has been dumped at the buffer zone of the lake, in violation of National Green Tribunal guidelines.

“The garbage spilt on the footpaths has led to the growth of wild plants and bushes. The area has become dangerous to walk after dark, as it is a desolate stretch. Several incidences of robbery and molestation attempts on women have occurred in December. As the road is neglected by authorities, eateries have come up causing traffic congestion during the day leaving no space for parking vehicles,” said Gilbert Millicent Nathan from Huawei Technologies India Private Ltd, a resident.

He added: “Stench from the garbage is spreading to software companies nearby. Thousands of houseflies from the garbage dump yard are spreading across roadside eateries and office canteens, posing a risk to health.”

A BBMP official said the garbage was being segregated at the same vacant land for some years now. “We are not given any other land to segregate garbage. We will get the dangerous bushes chopped down,” said a BBMP official.