Another Bengaluru lake goes the Bellandur way

The Kalkere Lake near Ramamurthy Nagar, rejuvenated after years of efforts, is getting contaminated due to a breach in the sewage bypass running close by.

Officials are denying that the lake is getting polluted, but the frothing near the outlet tells a very different story.

Residents observed the frothing after a week of heavy rain and are alarmed to see one more lake in East Bengaluru going the Bellandur way. Sewage is entering the lake since a breach has developed in the bypass built by the BBMP along the lake. About Rs 22 crore was spent to rejuvenate the lake and the work was completed just six months ago.

"Mild frothing was seen last year in October-November, but the civic body did nothing to find out the reason for the frothing," said Sukumar P S, member of the Seegehalli Lake Development Trust. "A leak in the underground drainage has allowed sewage to seep in. The lake is brimming with water due to last week's rain and it is frothing when the water is churning."

Sukumar also said the Seegehalli Lake is frothing for the past one week.

Kalpana, a resident of Ramamurthy Nagar, said though the frothing does not spill onto the roads, the odour from the lake is unbearable for those living in houses and apartments in the area.

BBMP's Deputy Conservator of Forest-Lakes T Jagannath Rao blames the heavy rain for the frothing. "We're working to clear the frothing for now," he said. "Frothing is seen only at the outlet where the sewage bypass meets the lake. We'll divert the sewage from the lake's outlet to a different diversionary line and prevent it from entering the lake."