Will our water bodies ever be rid of plastic?

Y Maheswara Reddy | NT

Despite having a straightforward solution, the many lakes in and around Bengaluru are heavily polluted, with the worst of the pollutants being plastic. Even a child knows the damage plastic can cause, but not the BBMP, or so it seems. How else does one explain the civic body not preventing plastic getting deposited into the all-important water bodies by simply fixing meshes at their inlets? Y Maheswara Reddy gets to the bottom of the murky affair.

It has become a routine for Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) authorities to spend time and money to promote Namma Bengaluru as a clean city but always end up far below the rank than other cities across the country.

The BBMP authorities are not doing much to get full marks in the waterplus category, which is a part of Swachh Survekshan. As per norms of the water-plus test, all stormwater drains should have screens or filters at a suitable distance to prevent plastic entering water bodies. All storm-water drains carry rainwater to the nearest water body during monsoon. Plastic and other garbage thrown into storm-water drains reach the water body along with the rainwater.

Last year, the BBMP had allocated Rs 130 crore for the upkeep of 25 water bodies in the city. Recently, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced a budgetary allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for remodelling and development of storm-water drains in the city, but the condition of storm-water drains remains the same and plastic and garbage continue to reach water bodies without any hindrance.

“Plastic not only pollutes water in a lake but also the air and land around it. The sheer negligence of people residing along storm-water drains causes a lot of problems. It is quite shocking and disgusting to see people throwing plastic and garbage into storm-water drains despite the many awareness programmes conducted,’’ said Balaji Raghotham, a lake activist, adding that lakes such as Seegehalli, Gangashetty, Kowdenahalli, Vengaiah and Bellandur are known for being polluted with plastic.

For example, one can find tonnes of plastic in the Kaggadasapura Lake, which is being rejuvenated by the BBMP Lakes department at an estimated cost of Rs 8 crore.

According to Raghavendra B Pachhapur, a lake conservationist, plastic releases toxins and reduces the water quality as it also harms the life within it.

“Plastic covers can entangle aquatic life and suffocate them to death. Micro plastics are consumed considering food and get stuck in the gut region, thereby leading to starvation and death of aquatic animals,’’ said Raghavendra Pachhapur.

He said that plastic mainly comes through the storm-water drain, increasing in quantity during the monsoon period. “The BBMP should arrest plastic debris at the stormwater drains by fitting steel meshes at different levels of different sizes. They need regular cleaning and maintenance, so that storm-water drains are not choked at any point of time,’’ he said.

He also emphasised that awareness should be created among local residents and lake users regarding the ill-effects of plastic. Dustbins should be placed in the lake vicinity and regularly cleaned. “Water quality in any lake is vital for the sustenance of the lake ecosystem and we need to take all precautions that plastic does not enter any water body,’’ he said.

During monsoon, rainwater from many stormwater drains that are choked with plastic and thermocol overflows onto the road, thus causing a lot of inconvenience to motorists. Anand Malliwad, a lake activist from Electronics City, attributed the lack of civic sense and awareness as main reasons for the pollution of lakes in the city. He said lakes situated in Chandapura, Kannasandra and Tirupala are filled with all types of garbage and sewage. “I am of the opinion that people residing around these water bodies are responsible for the pollution,’’ he said.

Anand Yadwad, who played a key role in the rejuvenation of AvalahalliAnjanapura Lake, blames the BBMP authorities for not keeping storm-water drains around it free from plastic and garbage. “We have been organising cleaning programmes at the lake to remove plastic from the lake bund, but we are unable to stop plastic entering the lake through storm-water drains along with rainwater,’’ said Anand Yadwad.

Will the BBMP authorities take preventive measures to ensure water bodies are free from all types of muck, especially plastic? We have to wait and watch.