Lok Sabha Question No. 1593 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Bellandur Lake
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: PRALHAD VENKATESH JOSHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1593

TO BE ANSWERED ON 8.12.2015

## Bellandur Lake

1593.  SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (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?

## ANSWER

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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