Videos: Fire in the middle of Bellandur lake leaves Bengaluru worried
This isn't the first time the lake has been on flames.
Fire on Bellandur Lake area. #Advisory Heavy cloud of smoke. @hsrltrafficps pic.twitter.com/fqMPjt0RkV
— DCP Traffic East (@DCPTrEastBCP) February 16, 2017
If lakes are known for sustaining the ecosystem around it, Bengaluru’s largest lake is just the opposite.
The Bellandur lake is a stinking cesspool where garbage around the lake is often set on fire.
On Thursday evening, the normal sight of grey fumes from the area turned into a worrying sight as dense smoke emerged from the middle of the lake.
@CMofKarnataka Big fire on Bellandur Lake (Ward150) -Garbage burning.It has became a regular affair no action from bbmp or concerned office pic.twitter.com/qz3F6Bi10Q
— Ravish (@rgyavagal) February 16, 2017
Even the fire department was puzzled by the sight of huge clouds, with foam on the surface of the water body.
Residents in neighbouring areas who have been complaining about the odious stench raised health concerns about the fire, which may have been sparked by chemicals in the water.
“Bellandur Lake has no water. There is a lot of weed growth and in addition sewage and debris end up in the lake. The Bengaluru Development Authority had taken up the initiative to restore the lake in January this year but so far no work had started,” a municipal official told The News Minute.
This isn’t the first time the polluted lake has got the locals up in arms – it is known for producing toxic froth that spills over on to the streets, as seen in this video from 2015 below.
On May 16, 2015, flames had emerged from a week’s pile-up of froth, which was caused due methane build-up on the surface of the lake.
The Bellandur lake incident is another reminder of how BBMP, Bengaluru’s municipal authority, has failed to manage waste under the reign of the “garbage mafia” which controls the refuse collection in the city.
