Government Approves Series of Measures for Conservation and Preservation of Lakes in Bengaluru

24x7 Monitoring of All Sewage Treatment Plants': Javadekar

The Government has approved a series of measures for the abatement of pollution and for the conservation and preservation of lakes in Bengaluru. The decision was taken at a meeting jointly chaired by Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Shri Ananth Kumar and Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Prakash Javadekar.

Shri Javadekar said that it has been decided to initiate 24x7 online monitoring of all Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), as well as lake water quality to be by concerned authorities in Bengaluru. The Minister said that the corporate sector is also being involved in the effort to conserve and preserve the lakes in Bengaluru. He also said that the progress will be monitored every six months.

Shri Ananth Kumar said that bio-development of lakes of Bengaluru will be undertaken. He said that the lakes will be restored in a bio-diverse manner in Public-Private Partnership mode.

Some of the other actions that have been agreed upon include:

All residential group housing projects/apartments with >20 units and total build-up area of 2000 sq.mtr. to install STP.

Re-use of treated sewage for various purposes and dual piping system to be prescribed in apartments/commercial establishments for re-use of treated sewage.

Regular monitoring of STPs to be carried out by State Pollution Control Board.

Retrofitting of existing STPs to meet the revised effluent norms.

Proper management of plastic waste to ensure that it is not dumped in the lakes.

Madivala lake to be developed as a biodiversity park on the lines of Yamuna Biodiversity Park under the guidance of Karnataka Knowledge Commission.

Lake Wardens to be appointed for involvement of public in lake conservation.

CSR funds to be tapped for conserving and developing lakes.

Discharge of untreated sewage being generated in the city into the lakes is a major cause for their degradation. Against present sewage generation of around 1320 mld (million litres per day), installed treatment capacity is 721 mld (with quantity of sewage treated in these STPs is only 600 mld). To bridge the gap between sewage generation and treatment, the Bengaluru Water Supply & Sewerage Board expect to complete 336 mld STP capacity (which is under construction) by December 2018, 515 mld STP capacity by December 2019 and 189 mld STP capacity by December 2020. Thus, by the end of 2020, STP capacity totalling 1761 mld and its related sewerage system is likely to be available for treating the entire sewage generated in the city.

Projects totalling to Rs.887.97 crore relating to sewerage system and STPs in Bengaluru have been approved/initiated under AMRUT programme of Ministry of Urban Development. Apart from other benefits, these projects will help in rejuvenating lakes in Bengaluru by reducing the pollution load being discharged into them.

This meeting was a follow-up of the earlier meeting taken by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest & Climate Change on October 19, 2015, in Bengaluru, for preparing a concrete plan for revival of lakes in the city. Minister of Forest, Environment & Ecology, Karnataka, Shri Ramnath Rai attended the meeting, along with senior officials from the State Government.

Powered by Capital Market - Live News