The army and the local fire force had worked day and night to control the fire that broke out in the Bellandur lake, a few days ago. However, even after the calamity, untreated sewage and garbage is still being dumped in Bellandur and Varthur lakes.

Though no one clearly knows the exact cause of the fire breaking out in the lake, experts allege that it was due to the presence of methane and other combustible substances in the lake.

The most plausible solution for the problem, therefore, is to permanently stop garbage and sewage from entering the Bellandur lake and the lakes upstream.

Work for the construction of the sewage treatment plants being set up by the state government is in progress but experts say these will only be ready by 2020.

In Koramangala where storm water drains were being fixed, India Today found garbage and sewage still being flown into the Bellandur lake.

Another storm water drain near the Agrahara lake leading to the Bellandur lake was in similar condition.

Many houses too did not have an efficient drainage system and sewage directly led into the storm water drains.

Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO of Namma Bengaluru Foundation, told India Today that the Expert Committee Report on rejuvenation of Bellandur lake was submitted to the state government way back in November 2016 but the government failed to act on the recommendations.

Pabbisetty said that the garbage, containing flammable material, floating in the storm water drains was testimony of the failure of the solid waste management system in the city.

“The need of the hour is to have a decentralised solid waste management system and sewage treatment plant network around the Bellandur lake that would regularly scoop out untreated sewage flowing into the lake,” Pabbisetty said.

Had the government followed the short term remedial measures, the situation would have been different.

(With inputs from Riya Callaghan)

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