Silt from Bellandur, Varthur lakes to be tested by KSPC, IISc.

The National Green Tribunal-appointed committee, which has been monitoring the rejuvenation efforts of Varthur and Bellandur lakes, is consulting consultants on the disposal of silt from Bellandur lake, the place traces of heavy metals, similar to cadmium, had been discovered.

On Saturday, the committee visited the lakes and storm-water drains across the catchment space together with officers from a number of companies, together with the Urban Development Department, Bangalore Development Authority, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board .

Soil samples had been collected at a number of factors. These, in accordance to a member of the committee, would be analysed by each KSPCB and Indian Institute of Science independently. “Earlier too, soil samples were collected. While there seems to be no issue in Varthur lake, heavy metals were found in Bellandur lake. The samples will be tested to check if the soil can be used for agriculture, gardening, or if it should be dumped and how urgently it should be disposed of,” a committee member advised The Hindu.

Desilting is probably going to start by January. “The soil is not very dry yet and more water needs to be drained. That apart, the water table level is also very high,” the committee member stated.

The committee can also be monitoring the progress of culverts close to Varthur Kodi and a personal hospital within the space, and directed the BBMP to survey and notify the raja kaluves (massive storm-water drains connecting the lakes) for functions of buffer zones. “We were not satisfied with the earlier records. The BBMP’s Storm Water Drains Department is now looking into revenue records, village maps, satellite images, and Google images for the survey,” the member stated and added that encroachments had already been recognized and cleared.