(a) whether the Government is aware the toxic froth that spills on the roads and fire caused from the Bellandur Lake in Bengaluru due to sewage, chemicals and detergents that flow into the lake;
(b) if so, the steps taken to ensure that sewage water doesn’t get mixed with the storm water which is meant to drain into the lake; and
(c) the measures taken by the Government to ensure that lakes in India are pollution free and are cleaned frequently?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) & (b) Yes Sir. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has informed that Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board has taken up various activities for treatment of sewage generated in the catchment area of Bellandur and nearby lakes in a phased manner for abatement of pollution in these lakes. The works taken up by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and other concerned agencies in Bengaluru include rehabilitation of existing sewers, laying of new sewers, construction/rehabilitation of sewage pumping stations, providing diversion channel on the periphery of the lakes to divert the dry weather flow, construction of sewage treatment plants, etc. Till date, sewage treatment capacity of 255 million litres per day (mld) has been created in the catchment area of Bellandur and nearby lakes.
(c) It is the responsibility of the State Governments/concerned local bodies to set up proper facilitates for collection, transportation and treatment of sewage being generated and ensure that untreated sewage does not fall into the lakes and water bodies thereby polluting them. This Ministry has been supplementing the efforts on the State Government for conservation of identified lakes in the country which are polluted and degraded under the National Lake Conservation Plan (NLCP) by providing financial assistance on cost sharing between Central Government and respective State Governments. Based on the proposals received from different States, this Ministry has so far sanctioned projects for conservation of 63 lakes in 14 States at a total cost of ?1096.09 crores under the scheme for various activities, which include interception, diversion and treatment of pollution load entering the lake, de-silting, de-weeding, bioremediation, catchment area treatment, lake beautification, etc. So far an amount of ?623.64 crore has been released as Central share to the States and work on 32 lakes has been completed.
To avoid overlap and promote better synergy, NLCP has been merged in February, 2013 with another scheme of National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) into one integrated scheme of National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems (NPCA) for holistic conservation and restoration of lakes and wetlands. Under the NWCP/NPCA, an amount of ?145.65 crore has been released so far to the concerned State Governments for undertaking various conservation activities in 80 identified wetlands.
To control discharge of industrial effluents, CPCB and respective State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees monitor industries with respect to effluents discharge standards and take action for non-compliance under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
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