Progress in lake desilting: Varthur clean-up achieved, Bellandur hits obstacles

Nearly three years after commencing desilting work aimed at restoring the water-holding capacity of Bellandur and Varthur lakes, officials have successfully completed the cleaning of Varthur lake.

However, opposition from various quarters has impeded progress on the larger Bellandur lake and, with the onset of rain, the work is now expected to be delayed for several months.

Officials said 96 per cent of the 15 lakh cubic metre of silt in Varthur was removed, thanks to demand from farmers.

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"They were ready to take another 15 lakh tonnes because carrying it to their fields was not difficult. The same was not possible for Bellandur lake where we had to face various challenges," an official said.

Spread over 900 acres, Bellandur lake has 32.33 lakh cubic metre of silt that needs to be removed, as per the orders from the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The BDA removed silt from 160 acres on a pilot basis without awarding tender, through 4(G) exemption in the KTPP Act. Later, a work order was issued in November 2020 to RMN Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.

"Of the 32.33 lakh tonne, about 18-19 lakh tonne silt has been removed. There are 100 trucks employed to take the silt to abandoned quarries in Vittasandra and Mailasandra.

"However, the traffic police have barred the trucks during the day time as the heavy vehicles were found to be slowing traffic or leading to snarls at some places. So, we have been forced to lift the silt only at night. We had to face opposition from the apartments in the area, which complained of disturbance in the night," an official explained.

An activist in the area mentioned that the transportation of the silt has been hit due to opposition from residents along Basapura Road, which connects Hosur Road with Vittasandra. These residents have been exerting political pressure to halt the work.

A senior official acknowledged the opposition from residents.

"There was a delay in transportation of the silt. About 4 lakh tonnes of silt was extracted from the lake but couldn't be taken to the quarries. Residents want the Basapura village road to be asphalted. We have explained to them that the road will be repaired after the completion of work," he said.

The official said that 60 per cent of the work has been completed and a bund has been erected to ensure that the silt is not carried with the rain water.

"The desilting work will be completed once the monsoon ends," he added.