A long pending threat thwarted at last at Puttenahalli Puttakere

[Usha Rajagopalan]

Dear friends, 

We are hugely relieved to tell you that leachate from garbage trucks has finally stopped polluting Puttenahalli Puttakere. The toxic liquid was entering the wetland through the rainwater drain and polluting it to such an extent that the entire southern corner of the lake was a stinky mess.  

For over seven years, the garbage transfer point for Konanakunte was outside the South City apartment complex, a few meters from the lake. Huge trucks and smaller vehicles filled with trash, mostly mixed, would assemble here every morning and empty their loads into a BBMP Compactor. The Compactor had a leachate compartment but to save trouble for themselves, the drivers would let the toxic liquid fall to the ground and flow into the rainwater drain. (See video) To ‘sanitize’ the place and suppress the odour, they would spread bleaching powder liberally. When it drizzled, the leachate and the bleaching powder would flow into the wetland. 

We raised the alarm repeatedly with the BBMP ward, zonal and head offices, with Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), KSPCB, and twice with the MLA. Over the last six months or so, the situation worsened. We got a sample of the effluent tested. The lab report was conclusive – it was heavily contaminated with organic matter, had elevated BOD, COD, and nutrient levels. It was a death sentence for the lake. 

In order to locate the entry point, the ward office of BWSSB inspected the UGDs and inlets. On 5th March 2025, the engineers showed us where the leachate was entering the lake - a small hole below the inlet pipe in the rainwater drain! 

 

06/02/2025

Together with the President of South City apartment association, we met the MLA, Mr M. Krishnappa on 13^th March 2025 and showed him the lab report and photographs. He promptly telephoned and directed the Environment Officer, BBMP and the contractor to relocate the garbage transfer point immediately.  

 

It is now nearly a month since the trucks stopped coming but we continue to be vigilant. Our deepest gratitude to MLA, Mr M. Krishnappa, for saving Puttenahalli Puttakere from leachate influx. A special word of thanks to BWSSB engineers Mr Sudarshan and Mr SR Nagaraj and to the South City security at Gate 3 for their assistance. 

Best regards

PNLIT Team 

--

PNLIT: Breathing Life into a Lake

Puttenahalli Lake from June 2010

PNLIT Newsletter 

[John Varghese]

Finally there is some movement to positive direction. Kudos to constant follow up. 

Varghese john. 

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[C Narayanan]

Great work.

Narayanan 

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 10, 2025, at 4:29 PM, Usha Rajagopalan <puttenah...@gmail.com> wrote:



Dear friends, 

We are hugely relieved to tell you that leachate from garbage trucks has finally stopped polluting Puttenahalli Puttakere. The toxic liquid was entering the wetland through the rainwater drain and polluting it to such an extent that the entire southern corner of the lake was a stinky mess.  

<image.png>

For over seven years, the garbage transfer point for Konanakunte was outside the South City apartment complex, a few meters from the lake. Huge trucks and smaller vehicles filled with trash, mostly mixed, would assemble here every morning and empty their loads into a BBMP Compactor. The Compactor had a leachate compartment but to save trouble for themselves, the drivers would let the toxic liquid fall to the ground and flow into the rainwater drain. (See video) To ‘sanitize’ the place and suppress the odour, they would spread bleaching powder liberally. When it drizzled, the leachate and the bleaching powder would flow into the wetland. 

We raised the alarm repeatedly with the BBMP ward, zonal and head offices, with Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), KSPCB, and twice with the MLA. Over the last six months or so, the situation worsened. We got a sample of the effluent tested. The lab report was conclusive – it was heavily contaminated with organic matter, had elevated BOD, COD, and nutrient levels. It was a death sentence for the lake. 

In order to locate the entry point, the ward office of BWSSB inspected the UGDs and inlets. On 5th March 2025, the engineers showed us where the leachate was entering the lake - a small hole below the inlet pipe in the rainwater drain! 

<Possible entry point inside drain 5 Mar 2025.jpeg>

 

06/02/2025

<image.png>

Together with the President of South City apartment association, we met the MLA, Mr M. Krishnappa on 13^th March 2025 and showed him the lab report and photographs. He promptly telephoned and directed the Environment Officer, BBMP and the contractor to relocate the garbage transfer point immediately.  

 

It is now nearly a month since the trucks stopped coming but we continue to be vigilant. Our deepest gratitude to MLA, Mr M. Krishnappa, for saving Puttenahalli Puttakere from leachate influx. A special word of thanks to BWSSB engineers Mr Sudarshan and Mr SR Nagaraj and to the South City security at Gate 3 for their assistance. 

Best regards

PNLIT Team 

--

PNLIT: Breathing Life into a Lake

Puttenahalli Lake from June 2010

PNLIT Newsletter 

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Website - http://www.puttenahallilake.in/
Blog - http://plog.puttenahallilake.in/
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<Leachate from compactor Video 2024-10-07 at 12.16.54.mp4>

<Garbage vehicles 5 Mar 2025.jpeg>

<Drain inspection 5 Mar 2025 (1).jpeg>

<Drain inspection 5 Mar 2025 (2).jpeg>

[gopinath rao]

We are most grateful to the PNLIT members for saving the lake.from the influx of machete.Only with such selfless and persistent efforts by enlightened citizens like youwe can save our environment.

Again grateful thanks

V.S.G.RAO

[Ravi G R]

Madam,

Congratulations to the team.

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pnlit/CANtPWU1AM7CJJONiyUomdkCjTqy_6V-nKGdCf-fExODi6Qe5Ew%40mail.gmail.com.

[Viswanath P K]

Dear PNLIT Team,

Thanks the update. Your relentless pursuit of the  authorities and the to continue to work for the well-being of the community is humbling. Our country progresses thanks to noble souls like you. Thanks and a prayer for your well-being 🙏🙏🙏 

P K Viswanath

On 11 Apr 2025, at 12:17 AM, 'C Narayanan' via Puttenahalli Neighbourhood Lake Improvement Trust (PNLIT) <pn...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

Great work.

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pnlit/76B5CEFB-B21A-4BC3-BF4E-AE0B22A4AE4E%40aol.com.

[Sagarika Basak]

Great job, team. Well done. Keep it up!

To view this discussion, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/pnlit/CAMsAYyLWNH0b%2BQCg9cY0%3DvgN1zXURc9sLga8mjerX3S66__wqA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Srinivas Alavilli]

Amazing! Kudos to everyone that worked on it 

“The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.” Plato

[Prajna Dutt]

Each step is a win and this one is a huge huge win! Amazing dedication Usha. Can't thank you all enough for doing this selflessly, with grit, with patience, with careful thought!

I don't find words to thank you enough!

[Usha Rajagopalan]

Dear Friends, 

Thank you very much indeed for your kind words. In order to collect the waste from South City, two trucks are parked overnight outside the Solid Waste Management Yard. They leave early in the morning after the waste is loaded. The drivers have strict instructions to collect any leakage in tarpaulin sheets and not allow it to fall down. This was important because we found that though the trucks were washed and cleaned elsewhere, some water used to drip from them when they were parked outside the SWM Yard. 

South City Gate 3 security guards have been sending us photos of the vehicles twice a day. Two are attached along with others showing the truck free road, one month after the garbage transfer point was shifted.

Best regards

PNLIT team

On Thu, Apr 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM Usha Rajagopalan <puttenah...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Jagadeesh Maiya]

+1. Couldn't agree more. 

Thanks and Regards
Jagadeesh

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[Sanjay M]

Dear Usha and amazing team,

Lovely to read your mail and it gives so much optimism that there's still hope about anything "wrong" even against all odds.

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, 

but by those who watch them without doing anything.”

— Albert Einstein

Thank you and best regards,

Sanjay

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