JOIN USAfter a meeting with the officials of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Forest Department, Palemar told the mediapersons that the city generates 1,219 MLD (million litres per day) of sewage and only 716 MLD is treated.
The sanitary pipeline network is merely 71 per cent, whereas 29 per cent area has to be covered. The open drains and the lack of enough waste water treatment plants has resulted in lake pollution. Of the 135 lakes under the BBMP, at least 60 to 62 per cent lakes are polluted according to a recent survey conducted by the KSPCB, said Palemar.
With an investment of 1,300 crore, the Environment Department in association with the BWSSB intends to give a revamp to the lakes by installing more number of sewage treatment plants and by the end of 2016 the City will have 100 per cent UGDs and water pipelines, the Minister said.
According to the Minister, the KSPCB has taken a policy of decentralised treatment facility for the newly formed layouts/apartments, commercial complexes and software technology parks. It will recycle and reuse the treated waste water towarrds secondary purposes.
Already 46 defaulting industries were issued with closure direction under the Water Act and 18 criminal cases were filed against the apartment owners. The KSPCB has filed criminal cases against the BWSSB and 10 cases against CMC and TMCs for discharging untreated sewagae into water bodies.