Journal of Global Resources

Volume 5 (01)January 2019
ISSN: 2395-3160 (Print), 2455-2445 (Online)

Page 24-32

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ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS DUE TO WASTE WATER FARMING IN BANGALORE
CITY, INDIA
D. Rajasekaran
Associate Professor, Department of Geography,
Government Arts College, Bangalore, India
Email: drdrajsekaran@gmail.com
Abstract: Bangalore is the capital of Karnataka and is the primate city of South India - one of thelargest growing metropolitan regions of the world. With the Information Technology (IT) and BioTechnology (BT) boom, Bangalore is one of the fastest growing cities in India and Asia. Bangalore
serves as the global example of the potentials and problems facing mega-cities in the developing
nations. Rapid urbanization, mindless development, erratic industrialization coupled with chemicals,poor sewage and solid waste management and heavy metal content in the water bodies has
contaminated the water and land farming. Normally urbanized city face the environmental problems
such as water quality, air and noise pollution, waste disposal and wastewater, loss of green cover,sewerage and sanitation, hazardous and e-waste disposal, traffic congestion etc., are only growing,
thus seriously affecting the quality of life and the health of the people in Bangalore City.
Bangalore’s urban future is grave - because of heavy mineral/metals found in rivers and sewage
water. The water in and around Bangalore are toxic in nature, mineral/metals found in water bodies
are fluoride, zinc copper, lead, manganese, chromium, iron, nitrate and aluminum which arehazards to health. Along with the above mentioned problems, farming with toxic lakes andwastewater farming are poisoned veg. farms leads to health hazard in and around Bangalore City.
The paper covers aspects like growth of city, polluted industrial effluent, untreated domestic
sewage water and Toxic lakes, Life around the Lake, a trail of health hazards, Farming with
wastewater, Customers unawareness, Fish kill, plastic-eating cows and various health hazards areanalyzed and suggestions are dealt in it.
Key words: Industrial Effluents, Domestic Sewage Water, Toxic Lakes, Water Contamination
Introduction
Environmental issues are of utmost concern to the citizens those who are living in urban centers.
Bangalore has the distinction of being the Silicon Valley of India as it is a hub for major IT and otherhi-tech companies. The salubrious climate, quality education and livelihood opportunities, healthcare facilities etc., have favored and attracted people and investors from across the world. This has
led to an unprecedented urban growth causing environmental threats. The environmental problems
such as water quality, air and noise pollution, waste and wastewater disposal, loss of green cover,sewerage and sanitation, hazardous and e-waste disposal, traffic congestion etc., are only growing
thus seriously affecting the quality of life and the health of the people. Along with the above
mentioned environmental problems, farming with toxic lakes and wastewater are poisoned veg.
farms leads to health hazard in and around Bangalore City. Polluted air and water might be
Bangalore’s bane, but vegetables grown on farms irrigated with contaminated water have given it ahazardous twist. Interactions with farmers, retailers and consumers indicate that a big chunk ofvegetables arriving in markets across the City might show chemical contamination if tested. Most of24

the vegetables are grown near in and around surrounding areas of Bangalore city arecontaminated. The farmers grow greens, tomato, cabbage and other vegetables using water from asewage treatment plant. Such vegetables could be as high as 75% of chemical content. “Today,
everything from water to air to soil is contaminated. We are trying to washing fruits and vegetables
with running water as many times as possible and boil them properly before consuming them. We
cannot avoid consuming the vegetables with heavy metal contamination. Taking precautionary
measures is the best available option.”
Study Area
Bangalore City is located in Bangalore District of south east of Karnataka State. It is located in theheart of the Deccan Plateau. The area lies between 12o 58| to 13o 0| North Latitude and 77o 37| to78o 18| East Longitude and at an average elevation of 949 meters (3,113 feet) above mean sea
level. It covers an area of about 2190 sq. kms. It has a maximum temperature of 33o C to lowest
minimum of 14 o C. Climatic conditions are March to May warmest, June to September rainy andDecember to January cold. It has a moderate and pleasant climate. Summers are mild and winters
are cool. Bangalore is accessible by air, road, and rail.

Images & Map shows the Location of Bangalore in Karnataka, India
Objectives
The main objectives are as follows: Urban growth of Bangalore City.
 Industrial effluent and toxic lakes and wastewater contamination in Bangalore City.
 Chemicals, which makes water contamination in Bangalore.
 Veg. Farming with wastewater and its Health Hazards.
 Fish kill and plastic-eating cows.
 Adopt some of the precautionary measures to control it for future of the Bangalore City.

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Methodology
In the present study of Environmental Health Hazard due to Toxic Lakes with Wastewater Farming
Poisoned Veg. Farms in Bangalore City, data’s are collected from secondary as well as primarysources like Bangalore District Census Hand Book, data from Bangalore Water Supply and
Sewerage Board, Reports from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Bangalore,
Karnataka Pollution Central Board (KPCB), Bangalore. And data of Bangalore Metropolitan Area
(BMA) covered area has been collected and analyzed. As the study is qualitative in nature simple
tables and suitable maps have been generated. Since Bangalore City is a dynamic metropolis there
are a series of popular articles published in leading dailies from which information has been elicited.
Urban Growth of Bangalore City
The population of Bangalore city stands at 6.5 million in 2001 and 9.6 million as per 2011 census
records, and continuing with this growth rate, the city’s population is expected to reach around 11
and 22 million in 2021 and 2041 respectively. With the Information Technology (IT) boom,
Bangalore is one of the fastest growing cities in India and Asia. With the emerging Bio-Technology(BT) boom, Bangalore’s population growth may be even faster in the forth-coming decades.
Bangalore is booming with other growth which is evident from its nicknames viz. “India’s Silicon
Valley”, “Fashion Capital of India”, “The Pub City of India”, and so on. All these factors contribute to
the growth of population of city. The table 1 below shows the growth trends.

Year
1901
1911
1921
1931
1941
1951
1961
1971
1981
1991
2001
2011

Table 1: Population Growth of Bangalore City 1901-2011
Area (in km2) Population Sex Ratio Density
Decadal Variation in %NA
163,091982
NA-60.35
189,485
958
NA
8.47
NA
240,054
931
NA
12.25
NA
309,785
928
NA
22.79
NA
410,967
922
NA
25.11
NA
786,343
895
NA
69.77
501.21
1,206,961
890
2,408
19.61
177.301,664,208
886
9,386
46.55
365.652,921,751
900
7,991
59.08
445.914,130,288
903
9,263
38.44
531.006,537,124
908
2,985
35.09
800.009,588,910
908
4,378
46.68

Source: Census of India, District Census Handbook -2001 & 2011.

Toxic lakes, poisoned veg. farms in Bangalore City
Irrigated by sewage-fed lake water, vegetable farms on the city’s out skirts are contaminating thefood chain with chemicals hazardous to human health. There is no system in place to regulate thisdangerous trend in markets across Bangalore. Fresh green vegetables were neatly decked up
installs lined up to beckon the weekend customers. But before those greens reached the markets,
farmers had to grow them with all the attendant problems. Did that complex process involve
irrigation with highly polluted water sourced from the city’s lakes and river streams; it is a tough, butheavily loaded question. Loaded, because repeated studies by city based universities and scientificinstitutions have clearly indicated heavy metal contamination in vegetables sold in big markets
across Bangalore. Irrigated by sewage-fed lake water on agricultural land, contamination of the26greens has been proved beyond doubt. Analyzing samples of water, soil and crop plants, the tests
have shown significant traces of zinc, copper, lead and cadmium in the greens that directly
influence our food chain.
Heavy metal contamination in vegetables grown in Bellandur Lake Area
Twelve years ago, when the Bellandur Lake’s pollution levels were high but not at today’s alarming
levels, a study had shown high heavy metal contamination in vegetables grown in the vicinity. The
impact of the lake’s polluted water on vegetation was found to be much more than soil. In its wide
expanse of 397 hectares of the lake, under Kormangala-Challaghatta Valley, receives over 40% if
the city’s mostly untreated sewage water. Incessant flow of untreated sewage from multiple inlets,
encroachment and wide-spread development has effectively killed vegetable farming in Bellandur
Lake. Cultivation has gradually shifted to Varthur and Hoodi Lake beds on the downstream. But
here it lays the big problem: Highly polluted water from Bellandur flows into the downstream lakes,
contaminating the ground water as well. It is mostly this water that is being drilled out through bore
wells by the farmers. As if this is not hazardous enough, the vegetables are also washed with thelake water before they are loaded onto distribution trucks. Their produce is supplied to vegetable
markets in Marathahalli, KR Puram, Whitefield, HAL and other areas within a 20 km radius of
Bangalore City. At the HAL market, for instance, supplies start at around 3 am. Enquiries revealthat most vegetables are sourced from farms in Hoodi, Kadugodi, Varthur and other areas.

ChemicalNitrateFluoride
Chromium

Total
Dissolved
Solids
Total
Hardness

Water Contamination and its Health Hazards
OriginHealth Hazards
Discharge of untreated sewage
Causes infant methaemoglobinacmia (Blueinto the ground
Babies); at very high concentration causes
gastric cancer and adversely affects central
nervous system and cardiovascular system
Fluoride rock in the ground gets
Reduces dental carries; in very highdissolved in groundwater
concentration causes skeletal fluorosis.
Present in industrial effluents
May be carcinogenic causes rashes and skindischarged into natural drain
eruption
without treating
Leaching of soil contamination,
Palatability decreases and may cause gastrodischarge from industrial orintestinal irritation in humans and havesewage treatment plants
laxative transits.
Hardness in water is mainly due
Affects water supply system (scaling),
to dissolved calcium andexcessive soap consumption, calcification ofmagnesium salts in the groundarteries, may cause primary concretions,rock-water interactiondiseases of kidney or bladder and stomach
disorder.

Life around the Bellandur Lake, a trail of health hazards
Bellandur Lake, the city’s largest, has become a symbol for what ails Bangalore: Unplanneddevelopment and official apathy. The toxic foam and fires at the lake have become so
commonplace that hardly any attention is paid to the woes of the local residents and commuters.
However, the worsening condition of the lake has served to make life miserable for those who live27

in its surroundings. Neighboring villages surrounding Bellandur Lake use the same water for
irrigation and agriculture. Therefore the vegetables we eat are metal-laden and poisonous.

Apartments around Bellandur Lake in Bangalore
A high concentration of effluent in the lake water causes it to foam often, with the froth
spilling out on to the streets and causing inconvenience to commuters. When exposed to the foam,
the toxic chemicals make his eyes water and skin itch. “It is an unpleasant sight to encounter
regularly. The residence who resides in an apartment close to the lake, the pollution is causing
serious health problems. Even on an ordinary day, the stench from the lake is unbearable. Now,
due to the fires, the toxic fumes are causing severe respiratory problems of asthmatic. The lakearea has shrunk considerably due to encroachment. Unregulated and rampant dumping of garbage
is slowly choking the lake. The vacant private plots along the lake boundary serve as perfect
dumping sites. Many of them are not fenced and people unscrupulously dump alba (construction
debris) and garbage in these plots in the night. Caretakers of the plots then set fire to the piles ofgarbage, instead of disposing it properly.
Fires in the lake area regular occurrence and have not subsided after the major one. They
may spiral out of control and cause damage to life and property. What action are the authorities
taking to control illegal dumping of garbage on the lake bed? The problem shunting Bellandur Lake
is not new. It is no win the limelight after the issue has received a lot of publicity in the media. The
fires would not harm anybody earlier. Now, with all the garbage and sewage being dumped into thelake, the plastic catches fire along with the grass, releasing toxic fumes. The problem iscompounded by the untreated sewage let into the lake from localities nearby. Not only industrial
effluents, but also partially treated sewage from homes enters the lake. The BWSSB regulations
mandate apartment complexes with more than 20 flats to set up sewage treatment plants (STPs)
on their premises. While many high-rise apartments have complied with the rules, and there areothers who are yet to follow. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has given permission tobuild many high rise buildings despite paucity of space for STPs. On the other hand the builders
should ensure that they do not encroach the lake and its surroundings.

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Health hazards on the rise in Bangalore City
The hazards linked to the pollution in Bellandur Lake are mounting. Studies also says spike inneurology-related cases such as epilepsy in the last four months. Pediatric consultant at a private
clinic in Bellandur believes that the foam and froth raked up by the lake have had a felling effect on
people living around the area. She says, “Parents have been bringing their children with complaintsof respiratory diseases which they now believe are becoming prolonged and chronic. Parents feelthe ailments are a result of the rising smog in the lakes.” The allergies have had a domino effect on
people in the area, most of whom are working parents who find it tough to attend to their kids when
they fall ill. Many people are even ready to relocate so as to get some respite from the increasingproblems of the area.
Vrishabhavathi the polluted River flowing in Bangalore City
Over the last three years, tests on water and soil samples collected from the area growing baby
corn have shown accumulation of heavy metals - as Atree researcher informs. Heavily polluted withindustrial effluents and untreated domestic sewage, the Vrushabhavathi River feeds this water
directly into the Byramangala tank. Heavy metal contamination of water can be effectively tracked
only with 24-hour sampling. For the study on Vrushabhavathi, the water was measured day andnight. Heavy metal traces were found to peak during the night. This is a clear indication thatindustrial effluents are being discharged after dusk to hoodwink the agencies.

Vrishabhavathi River in Bangalore City
Baby corn cultivation has graduated to tomatoes and other vegetables in recent months. These
greens make their way to the KR Market and Kalasipalyam outlets, eventually heading to othervegetable bazaars in the city interior.
Customers unaware of chemical contamination
Not many customers are aware of this supply chain, although most retailers feign ignorance about
the irrigation methods for fear of losing clients. A customer, say she has been buying vegetablesfrom the HAL market for nearly a decade. But he admits he had never asked where the greens29

came from. In recent years, say there trailers; supplies from Varthur side have been declining as
farms are being traded for real estate. Huge apartment blocks and malls have come upon once
fertile lands. To compensate the shortfall, supplies often come from KR Market. Yet, that is not asafe bet. An ongoing study by the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment(Atree) has already indicated contamination in vegetables grown in the command area of the
Byramangala tank on the Vrushabhavathi River. The water quality monitoring is only a part of themechanism to prevent health hazards of irrigation with sewage-fed water. Soil and plant quality are
equally critical. The University study showed that the presence of cadmium in spinach (4 mgg-1)
and radish (2.5 mg g-1) is way beyond the acceptable standards. Not many customers are aware ofthis supply chain, although most of the retailers are ignorance about the irrigation methods for fearof losing clients.
Farming with wastewater a health hazard in Bangalore City
Today, everything from water to air to soil is contaminated. Despite knowing the harmful effects ofchemical contamination, they have no choice but to buy the fruits and vegetables from the markets.
However, the President of Wholesale Vegetables and Fruits Traders Merchant Association does
not agree. According to him, drainage water was earlier being used by vegetable growers in
Kengeri, Gollahalli and Varthur. But now he says that most of the farmers have stopped vegetable
farming there due to encroachment of lakes and rapid urbanization. Sellers and middlemen at
Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Yard, Yeshwantpur admit that the quality offruits and vegetables has come down because of bad water quality and pollution. Yet, there aremany others who deny using dirty water to grow greens. A wholesale onion and potato merchantfrom APMC contends that most of his produce comes from Maharashtra and Chitradurga region.
He says the farmers there depend on bore well (tube well) water and tap water to grow vegetables
and not drainage.
Hoskote-based farmer claims that he uses bore well water for vegetable farming. But there
some of a few farmers using water from polluted lakes in his locality. Environmentalists suggestthat reducing pollution at water source points and increasing awareness among public on thedangers of consuming food with high heavy metal Contamination could be helpful. But consumer’s
opinion say that they are harmful effects of chemical contamination, they have no choice but to buy
the fruits and vegetables from the markets. One of the residents of Hennur says “Today, everythingfrom water to air to soil is contaminated. I try washing fruits and vegetables with running water as
many times as possible and boil them properly before consuming them. We cannot avoid
consuming them. Taking precautionary measures is the best available option.”A resident of Bellandur and an active member of Kasa Muktha Bellandur, informs that
BBMP had conducted a drive in her locality to seize plastics. The Palike personnel confiscatedboxes filled with artificial coloring content from vegetable farmers. These were used to add color topeas. Parmar sees a way out in using organic vegetables. She explains, “The best way to avoid
consumption of harmful produce is by buying organic produce. Though it is expensive, it is worth as
it keeps me and my family healthy. Apart from sewage effluents inside the lake, garbage is also
being burnt and dumped there. I see ashes floating a top Bellandur lake due to burning of waste.”
Malleswaram resident Sampath Kumar agrees that organic vegetables could be an option only if
people can afford them. “Not everyone can buy organic stuff,” he points out.

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Fish kill and plastic-eating cows
Pollution enters the food chain in multiple ways. If untreated sewage in lakes and river streams
contaminates the water that irrigates vegetable farms, poorly managed solid waste could be equally
dangerous. Cattle feeding on plastic bags and frequent fish kill in the city lakes are tell-tale signs ofan eco-system gone horribly wrong. Veterinarians are on record citing operations on cows thatrevealed upwards of 50kg of plastic bags in their stomachs. The more plastic in their stomach, theless food it consumes. This directly reduces the milk production. Scurrying for food in roadsidegarbage bins, the cows find it tough to tear the plastic bags. Eventually, the entire bag gets in.
Instances of fish kill, the death of native fish in thousands, are getting more frequent than
before in the city lakes. This trend, last seen in Halasuru Lake, has serious consequences for thefish-eating public. From the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science attributes
this to bioaccumulation, accumulation of chemicals in the algae. Fish eats the algae, transferring
the toxic substances. Simply put, bioaccumulation occurs when an organism absorbs a - possibly
toxic -substance at a rate faster than that at which the substance is lost by catabolism andexcretion. “This happens when the fish feeds on the algae and zooplankton (organisms drifting in
the water bodies).The trend is very worrying. It could lead to severe health complications”. Fishfarmers introduced the African cat fish in lakes galore since their survival rate is much better than
the native fish. This has, however, complicated matters since the exotic variety even feed son thenative fish.

Fish kill and plastic-eating cows
A study finding showed that fruits collected from KR Market and Yeshwantpur market hadvariable concentrations of pesticides. Heavy metal contamination in green leafy vegetables,
especially Palak (pinches leaf) and Coriander. Green leafy vegetable samples were collected fromthe sampling stations– Byramangala and Bellandur are lead concentration was exceedingly high in
Palak (28.43ppm to 149.50ppm) and coriander (54.69ppm to 75.50ppm). In coriander leaves,copper, zinc and manganese were found. Here the farmers were using water from polluted lakes
31located at the stations. The pollution was due to the direct flow of effluents to lakes from industries
and households.
Suggestion & Conclusion
 Reviving Bellandur Lake is clearly a complex task and requires both the government
agencies and citizens to work together. Citizens’ groups and volunteers could keep a tab on
those who dump garbage or set fires and promptly alert the authorities. State should be
more proactive and transparent in its rejuvenation effort.
 To made mandate to the apartment complexes with more than 20 flats to set up sewage
treatment plants (STPs) on their premises.
 It is unfortunate that vegetables are grown using contaminated water from the lakes.
Besides the chemicals in the pesticides, the farmers wash the vegetables with the samepolluted water. This is double the poisoning. It is a dangerous practice that needs to be
stopped.
 People should stress on hygienic conditions. Water treatment plants should be set up at
various places and only the treated water should be used for vegetable farming. Organic
vegetables should be promoted. Awareness should be created about the ill-effects ofconsuming farm products grown using contaminated water.
 The only way to be healthy is to consume organic produce as much as possible. Vegetables
or fruits laced with chemicals should be avoided. There should be more awareness among
the public about organic vegetables and how safe it is to consume them.
 Prefer vegetables from the departmental stores that are will do divulge information about thesource of their produced.
 Prefer to get Vegetables are from Hopcoms, which are sources it from Lalbag and organic
produce from stipulated farms either in Mysore or Ooty.
 Stringent quality tests -the message is clear: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board(KSPCB) needs to change its water quality monitoring protocol. The testing should havemore scientific and stringent on Vrishabhavathi and Byramangala tank.
References
1. Bangalore City Corporation, Government of Karnataka, Bangalore.
2. Census of India 2001, Kendriya Sadan, Koramangala, Bangalore.
3. Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Government of Karnataka, Bangalore.
4. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Bangalore, Karnataka 560001.
5. Karnataka Pollution Central Board (KPCB), Bangalore, Karnataka 560001.
6. Desphande C.D., B.Arunachalam, L.S. Bhat (1980) – “Impact of Metropolitan City on thesurrounding region” Concept Publications, New Delhi.
7. Ashish Bose (1978) – “India’s Urbanization”, 1901-2001 Second revised edition,
published by Tata McGraw-Hill. Company Limited, New Delhi.
8. PrakasaRao. V.L.S., V.K.Tewari (1979) – “The Structure of an Indian Metropolis” – A studyof Bangalore, Allied Publ. Pvt. Ltd.
9. “Shrinking lung space fueling asthma” - An article in Deccan Herald, Bangalore.
10. “No breathing room” - An article in Deccan Herald, Bangalore.
11. News articles in the daily variety of local leading News Papers are referred.

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