The Environment Ministry has decided to convene a high-level meeting in May to check the "alarming proportion" of pollution in lakes of Bengaluru.

Stating that the Centre has sanctioned around Rs 800 crore under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme to Karnataka to mitigate pollution in the lakes, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said that he will talk to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the issue.

"I will talk to Karnataka chief minister today. We will convene a high level meeting in the first week of May. As regards to pollution in the lakes, it has assumed a serious proportion. Sewage of adjoining areas is flowing freely into the lakes and killing them," he said.

The Minister said 1,280 MLDs of sewage is generated per day in Bengaluru while the capacity to treat sewage is 721 MLD, out of which, only 600 MLD of sewage is actually treated.

He said that out of a total of 520 Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), only 137 are non-functional.

Javadekar said that out of the Centre's grant of Rs 800 crore, Rs 500 crore is for laying down a 74-kms trunk sewage pipeline while Rs 162 crore has been provided to construct four STPs in Bellandur lake.