Heavy rain over the weekend in Bengaluru resulted in Varthur Lake foaming once again, causing severe distress to commuters. The toxic foam flew on to the Whitefield Road, hit vehicles and commuters in their faces and severely affected traffic over the weekend. The wire mesh built around the boundary of the lake too failed to control the froth from entering the streets.
Several people even complained of an unbearable stench in the area. Residents living in the area have asked the government to take appropriate action to stop lake foaming.
The city scientists blamed the increased flow of water to the lake for the fresh froth. People shared pictures and videos of the frothing on various social media platforms, with many criticising the civic bodies for their failure to address the problem.
The city’s two largest lakes - Bellandur and Varthur – are regularly affected by froth. Environments blame the practice of dumping untreated sewage and pollutants in the lakes for the issue. The National Green Tribunal has allotted the state a month to clean by the Varthur Lake. The state has, however, said the time given to them is inadequate.
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