Coordination must to carry forward reduced pollution: Mayor Goutham Kumar

The BBMP is putting in place a mechanism to maintain a significant reduction in air and water pollution across the city during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Mayor Goutham Kumar held a meeting with officials of the KSPCB, BDA, BWSSB and BBMP, where he called for greater coordination among the agencies.

“There is a considerable reduction (of pollution) in all water bodies in Bengaluru since industries remained shut due to the lockdown. This (reduced pollution) should not stop and must continue and ensure that waterbodies are free of pollutants from industries. To achieve this, we need greater coordination between BBMP, KSPCB, BDA, BWSSB, Bescom and the city police,” Kumar said, giving out the meeting’s major outcomes.

KSPCB chairperson Vijay Kumar Gogi said air pollution was also considerably down during the lockdown due to lack of transport and industrial activities.

B S Prahlad, chief engineer (stormwater drains), pointed out that the BBMP has filed 496 cases in various city police stations against industries discharging untreated sewage into lakes through stormwater drains.