The Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority is now cracking down on offenders who are responsible for destroying Bengaluru’s lakes. This time, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) is under the scanner.
The metro rail company has been levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh for dumping concrete waste into the Mylasandra Lake, which is located in the forest area between Uttarahalli and Kengeri, the New Indian Express reported.
The 16.2-acre lake is maintained by the Karnataka Forest Department. On May 9, BMRCL contractors were caught dumping concrete waste and the operation had been going on for almost a month.
The KLCDA immediately sent a notice to BMRCL on May 12 and also a fine of Rs 5 lakh was levied as per the order by the National Green Tribunal.
According to the KLCDA CEO, Vidhyasagar Rao, the officials had conducted an inspection on Friday and metro rail officials have been given a week to respond to the illegal debris dumping.
“The fine has been levied and BMRCL will have to clean up the mess it has caused and remove all the concrete from the lake,” Rao said.
Rao says that it is necessary to take stringent action against violators of the NGT order. “Contractors of government projects have rampantly destroyed the city’s lakes by dumping garbage and construction waste in the city’s lakes. It’s high time they are made responsible. If the fines are levied, then they will think twice before resorting to short cuts for disposing the waste,” a senior KLCDA official told TNM.
According to the TNIE report, the fine amount would be recovered from the contractor responsible for the debris dumping and an additional penalty would also be levied by BMRCL.
The National Green Tribunal’s orders on April 18 and April 19, states that dumping of any wet or solid waste in the premises of all lakes situated in and around Bengaluru, including the buffer zone areas of the lake is strictly prohibited.
“If anybody is found dumping such wastes, they will be levied a fine of Rs 5 lakh for each occasion. The KLCDA will also initiate prosecution against such people in accordance with the provisions contained in the Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority Act, 2014, and the rules framed under it,” the order states.