There Is No End To The Toxic Foam In Bengaluru¡¯s Lakes And It Is Only Getting Worse
Varthur and Bellandur Lakes notorious for spitting out toxic foam. Unprecedented rains that wrecked havoc in Bengaluru on Monday have once again ignited the two lakes. The thick foam is so high that it can even engulf a two-storied building.
The unprecedented rains that wrecked havoc in Bengaluru on Monday have once again ignited the Varthur and Bellandur Lakes notorious for spitting out toxic foam.
The two lakes have once again started spitting out foam, covering roads and residential areas in the neighbourhood.
#WATCH: Bengaluru's #BellandurLake continues to spill thick toxic foam #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/CrQV6GTUBs
¡ª ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2017
Videos and images posted online by locals show the foam filled lake. The thick foam is so high that it can even engulf a two-storied building.
BCCL
BCCL
At Varthur lake a fence was erected to prevent the foam from spreading to the road, causing massive traffic jams. But the incessant rains which damaged parts of the fence have once again resulted in the toxic waste spreading into the streets.
BCCL
A video posted by ANI shows cars disappear into plumes of foam on a road adjacent to the Bellandur Lake.
#WATCH: Vehicles stuck in toxic foam spilled by Bellandur Lake, at Yemalur bridge #Bengaluru pic.twitter.com/2AKaRSHfVU
¡ª ANI (@ANI) August 16, 2017
The two lakes have been often referred as the symbols of Bengaluru Municipalities inability to process solid waste.
Due to the years of encroachments and uncontrolled dumping of untreated waste, including those from industries, the two lakes have transformed into fire breathing monsters of sorts.
BCCL
The weed growth, combined with the stagnant water which produces methane gas from industrial waste means, a spark could turn the waterbody to source of toxic foam and smoke.
Locals now fear that the stinking foam could lead to much bigger health issues for the residents.
With kids its even tougher to step out; either something has to be done or we'll have to leave the place for my kid: Resident#BellandurLake pic.twitter.com/CHqxM1w9ny
¡ª ANI (@ANI) August 17, 2017
Karnataka government had come under heavy criticism earlier this year for its inability to cleanup the two waterbodies.
The National Green Tribunal ordered in April that all industries around Bellandur Lake be shut and imposed Rs 5 lakh fine on anyone found dumping waste in and around the lake.
BCCL
The green panel gave the state authorities a month¡¯s time to free the lake of all pollutants. But so far little to nothing has been achieved in combating the menace.
Bobins Abraham is the Assistant News Editor at Indiatimes. He has more than twelve years of experience in TV and digital journalism. An avid student of history and geopolitics, he is a conservationist and environmentalist at heart. He writes on environment, sustainability, human-animal conflict and more.
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