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 13th 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
