Indian Express: Bengaluru: Thursday, 28 September 2023.
While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has flagged the issue of industrial effluents polluting lakes in Bengaluru, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in an RTI query on September 21 stated that neither has it fined any industry for polluting lakes nor has it issued closure orders to the industries found to be polluting the lakes since 2017.
The RTI was filed by The Indian Express seeking detailed information on the number of industries which were fined or were issued closure orders for polluting the lakes in Bengaluru.
“It is to be informed that there are no industries fined for polluting lakes in Bengaluru since 2017 and no closure notices issued to industries for polluting lakes,” the KSPCB said in a response to an RTI query.
In the last few years, the NGT has pulled up the state government authorities for failing to protect the lakes from pollution. In 2022, the NGT levied Rs 500 crore as environmental compensation on the Karnataka government for failing to protect the Chandapura lake from pollution and directed the authorities to collect the amount from the violating industries.
In 2017, the NGT directed the Karnataka government to seal all the industries located in the vicinity of the Bellandur lake.
“Neither meaningful action taken against violators nor compensation for past violations at Chandapura Lake assessed,” the NGT, in its recent order regarding the damage to the Chandapura Lake, had said while rapping the KSPCB for its inaction.
As per the NGT’s directive, the state pollution watchdog was to submit a report on action taken against violators and erring officials to prevent pollution. While the KSPCB recently submitted the report, the NGT noted that the report is insufficient.
In April this year, the NGT pulled up the KSPCB for failing to take action against the violators responsible for polluting Chandapura lake.
“The report filed by the KSPCB is in no way an adequate discharge of the public trust doctrine for the restoration of the lake in question. It is disappointing to note such callousness of the authorities in dealing with the matter. Neither any meaningful action has been taken against the violators to prevent pollution nor compensation for past violations assessed and recovered on Polluter Pays principle,” the NGT had observed.
It also said that the KSPCB had failed to clarify how the industries are located in the buffer zone of the Chandapura lake.
Local residents have complained about the industries discharging chemical effluents into the storm water drains which are connected to the lakes. “Small scale red category industries in Jigani have not only encroached the buffer zones of the storm water drains (SWD) but were found to be discharging industrial chemical effluents into the canals connected to the major drains which finally connect to the lake,” said Vishal K, a resident of Jigani.
While the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has flagged the issue of industrial effluents polluting lakes in Bengaluru, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) in an RTI query on September 21 stated that neither has it fined any industry for polluting lakes nor has it issued closure orders to the industries found to be polluting the lakes since 2017.
The RTI was filed by The Indian Express seeking detailed information on the number of industries which were fined or were issued closure orders for polluting the lakes in Bengaluru.
“It is to be informed that there are no industries fined for polluting lakes in Bengaluru since 2017 and no closure notices issued to industries for polluting lakes,” the KSPCB said in a response to an RTI query.
In the last few years, the NGT has pulled up the state government authorities for failing to protect the lakes from pollution. In 2022, the NGT levied Rs 500 crore as environmental compensation on the Karnataka government for failing to protect the Chandapura lake from pollution and directed the authorities to collect the amount from the violating industries.
In 2017, the NGT directed the Karnataka government to seal all the industries located in the vicinity of the Bellandur lake.
“Neither meaningful action taken against violators nor compensation for past violations at Chandapura Lake assessed,” the NGT, in its recent order regarding the damage to the Chandapura Lake, had said while rapping the KSPCB for its inaction.
As per the NGT’s directive, the state pollution watchdog was to submit a report on action taken against violators and erring officials to prevent pollution. While the KSPCB recently submitted the report, the NGT noted that the report is insufficient.
In April this year, the NGT pulled up the KSPCB for failing to take action against the violators responsible for polluting Chandapura lake.
“The report filed by the KSPCB is in no way an adequate discharge of the public trust doctrine for the restoration of the lake in question. It is disappointing to note such callousness of the authorities in dealing with the matter. Neither any meaningful action has been taken against the violators to prevent pollution nor compensation for past violations assessed and recovered on Polluter Pays principle,” the NGT had observed.
It also said that the KSPCB had failed to clarify how the industries are located in the buffer zone of the Chandapura lake.
Local residents have complained about the industries discharging chemical effluents into the storm water drains which are connected to the lakes. “Small scale red category industries in Jigani have not only encroached the buffer zones of the storm water drains (SWD) but were found to be discharging industrial chemical effluents into the canals connected to the major drains which finally connect to the lake,” said Vishal K, a resident of Jigani.