‘ If Bellandur lake is frothing, so is Arkavathy’

While the government may have the best of intentions in trying to revive the T. G. Halli and Hessarghatta reservoirs to help Bengaluru with its drinking water supply, civic activists point out that industrial effluents continue to be let out into the tributaries of the Arkavathy river which leads to them.

“Industries are supposed to follow the zero discharge policy, which means they cannot let out effluents into the river, but recycle them. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board is supposed to monitor them to ensure that that they adhere to the rules. But in reality the industries do not care for any policy and continue to pollute the river while the board's officials look the other way,” regrets one city activist, pointing out that if Bellandur lake is frothing, so is the Arkavathy river.

“The lake has made international headlines, but few are talking about Arkavathy, which too is foaming because of the increased pollution in its waters. You can see it in villages like Cholanayakanahalli and Midachayyanapalya,” he says, lamenting that corrupt KSPCB officials don’t care to take action against the polluting industries and put a stop to the contamination of the river.

“If no serious action is taken against the polluting industries along the river, there will be no point in rejuvenating the T. G. Halli and Hessarghatta reservoirs,” he warns.