BWSSB plans pipeline installation to prevent sewage flow into Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake

As the monsoon season approaches, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has been instructed to lay pipelines within the buffer zone of the Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake Bird Sanctuary to prevent sewage from entering the lake. The initiative aims to revive the lake ecosystem and provide a solution to stop the inflow of sewage.

The direction comes after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) intervened, urging an action plan following the flow of millions of litres of sewage into the lake during last year’s monsoon. The stormwater drain (SWD), constructed to channel floodwaters from nearby areas like Attur, inadvertently carried runoff mixed with sewage, contaminating the lake. The Yelahanka Puttenahalli Lake Bird Conservation Trust opposed the proposal to lay hume pipes beneath the walking path, citing concerns over the potential damage to the lake’s ecosystem.

Following the NGT’s order, a committee led by BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar convened with various departments to discuss solutions. Options discussed included diverting sewage through the main sewage line or a “huge pit” located in Ramanashree Enclave, though residents opposed the latter, claiming the pit was designed for specific areas only. The committee decided that BBMP will install a 1,600 mm stormwater pipeline, and BWSSB will build a 700 mm RCC pipe under the walking path.

The authorities are expected to complete the work within 45 days, though the NGT bench has noted that the deadline may be insufficient given the urgency of the monsoon. The BWSSB chief engineer is set to appear at the next hearing.