NGT asks Chief Secretary to hold meeting every month to monitor progress of restoration of Bengaluru lakes

The National Green Tribunal has asked Karnataka Chief Secretary to hold meeting once in a month with concered agencies to monitor progress made in restoration of Bellandur, Agara and Varthur lakes in Bengaluru, including preventing discharge, dumping of pollutants and removing encroachments from catchment area.

The NGT, which was hearing case related to fires in Bellandur lake, disposed off the issue by directing the Chief Secretary to submit a quarterly report about steps taken to rejuvenate water bodies to Secretary to Union Ministry of Jal Shakti and the National Wetlands Authority.

"The lakes in question are undoubtedly of great significance for the Bengaluru city and are glory and pride of the city. We do hope the administration will appreciate the need for stringent action and efforts for maintaining the said lakes," the Principal Bench of the Tribunal headed by its chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said in the order.

Thanking the works by Monitoring Committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde, the Tribunal said the Chief Secretary should take note of the suggestions made by monitoring committee while rejuvenating the lakes and take experts help including Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

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"All pending projects for setting up of STPs, fencing of lake, removal of encroachments, etc. may be executed expeditiously. Particular attention may be given to preventing formation of foam and fire incidents. Directions in earlier orders and current order be duly carried out and overseen by the Chief Secretary, as already mentioned, at least once a month," the Tribunal ordered.

"We may specifically note need to remedy foaming and fire incidents, attributed to detergents containing Phosphates, sewage entering the lake needs to be diverted and treated sewage utilised for non-potable use. The lake is to be maintained with required oxygen levels for survival of aquatic life," the order said.

The Chief Secretary may interact with the State Lake Conservation and Development Authority and Forest, Ecology and Environment Departments. First meeting may be held latest by March 31, 2021. Thereafter, review meetings may be held atleast once in a month to monitor further progress and completion of targets, already fixed or which may be further fixed. It will be open to all persons interested in restoration and maintenance of the lakes in question to give their suggestions and offer assistance which may be duly considered by the Chief Secretary, Karnataka on its merits, the Tribunal said.

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The Green Bench was a hearing number of petitions on restoration of Bellandur, Agara and Varthur lakes at Bengaluru.

The Bench had earlier set up a Monitoring Committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Santosh Hegde to monitor the restoration works by various government agencies including Bengaluru Development Authority and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike, BWSSB and Lake Development Authority.