HC: Seek expert advice to save Bellandur Lake

BENGALURU: The high court on Friday rapped the panel tasked with cleaning Bellandur Lake, saying Bengaluru is in global news owing to Bellandur Lake and its garbage menace.
“We are known as the Silicon City, but are rich in garbage. We can generate electricity from garbage as some Scandinavian countries do. Only technical expertise is lacking,” the bench said.

“For an issue like Indira Canteen, you sought expert advice on design.This is a Himalayan problem. You can’t do this with a piecemeal approach. Have proper persons to do this job so that the money doesn’t go down the drain,” the bench said.
Mahendra Jain ruled out desilting of Bellandur lake, saying the work would cost Rs 330 crore with waste transport added to the cost. He explained that sewage treatment plants (STPs) set up by BWSSB are treating 308 million litres a day (mld) and work on the other STPs to treat 172mld waste water will be completed by 2020.
According to Jain, Bengaluru city gets 1,800mld — 1,400mld from Cauvery and 400 mld from groundwater sources — and 80% of this water turns into waste as only 20% is consumed.
On diverting Bellandur Lake water, Jain said a diversion towards Varthur Lake is likely to invite opposition from locals. If the water is diverted from Varthur, then it would go to Tamil Nadu which has already petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a directive against Karnataka releasing polluted water.