BBMP to certify 183 lakes sewage contamination free

BENGALURU: Karnataka High Court on June 6, directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to file an affidavit assuring 183 lakes in Bengaluru are free from sewage contamination, as per the direction issued by the court earlier in 2014.

After hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition, filed in 2014 by the Citizens’ Action Forum, on issues related to the lack of proper maintenance of storm-water drains and the failure of civic bodies to stop entry of sewage into lakes, a bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, and Justice P S Dinesh Kumar gave the orders.

The court had asked civic bodies, including the BBMP that storm-water drains, which carry water into lakes, should be sustained scientifically and any outflow or release of sewage or effluents into such drains should be prevented in 2014. The court had also ordered maintenance of the drains in such a condition that they carry only rainwater.

Meanwhile, the bench directed the State government to inform the court why the BBMP has been excluded from the purview of the draft Karnataka Municipal Corporation Model Solid Waste Management Bylaws, 2018, after it was pointed out to the court that the initial notification had it apply to the BBMP, but subsequently it was changed. It was also pointed out that the government had not issued the final SWM bylaws though the draft was issued nearly a year ago.