The Green Court refused to intervene and asked the state government to specify its stand.
The country's top green court today issued a strong warning to the Karnataka government and the civic authorities of state capital Bengaluru for failing to control the pollution in the frothing, fuming Bellandur lake. The state had been given a month's deadline to clean up the lake, which gets over on May 19, but has failed to finish the job.
The green court, which had flagged the issue after media reports in February, today pulled up the authorities, asking why no steps have been taken yet to stop the source of pollution. "You better take steps or you will have a problem here," the court said.
The court also took a dig at those objecting to the measures being taken to clean up the lake, asking if "anyone has come forward to claim that they were polluting the lake".
The 1000-acre lake, which had been frothing for years, had caught fire in February, generating dense fumes that hung over the entire area. Following massive protests and intervention by the green court, the state government -- among other measures -- had ordered the closure of industries in the 15 km radius that forms the lake's catchment area.
Among the industries shut were auto companies, which today approached the NGT, alleging a knee jerk reaction by the state government. The lawyers told the court that auto companies were not discharging any pollutants into the water body and asked the NGT to lift the lockdown ordered by the government.
The NGT today refused to intervene and asked the state government to specify its stand. "You have made it difficult for people to breathe. People are coming to us saying that the pollution is causing deaths," the NGT observed. The case will be heard next on June 8.
The slow pace of clean-up at Bellandur lake is also holding up pollution control at Varthur - Bengaluru's second largest lake. The pre-monsoon showers of last week resulted in fresh frothing at Varthur. But Chief Minister Siddaramaigh had dismissed it as routine, adding that not much can be done till the clean-up job at the Bellandur lake is finished.