Bengaluru's Varthur lake foams again and this time it is really bad

The residents of the area said that the stench was unbearable.

By Vicky

Updated: Monday, May 29, 2017, 14:05 [IST]

Rains have no doubt brought relief to Bengaluru. However there was a flip-side to it at the Varthur lake. The lake has begun foaming once again. Toxic foam was spilling over to the Whitefield Main Road and commuters had a tough time negotiating traffic on Saturday and Sunday.

To make matters worse was the unbearable stench emanating from the lake. The residents say that that the situation is so bad that the froth had reached a mall and a hospital.

Condition worsens:

The wired mesh erected on the boundary of the lake that runs along Whitefield Main Road, had kept foam from entering the streets till the rain aggravated the condition said Pravir B, a member of the citizen group Whitefield Rising. We noticed froth on the road on Saturday morning. There's a mesh on one side of the road, where foam has not escaped. But, the heavy winds resulted in foam getting blown from the other side of the lake and entering the road, disrupting traffic. In fact, the foam is entering helmets, and coming in contact with the skin," Pravir also said.

Stench unbearable:

The residents of the area said that the stench was unbearable. It only added to the woes of the commuters and residents who were seen dodging the foam. Strong winds also made matters worse.

Pictures all over:

Videos and pictures of the dreaded foam have been in circulation. Many citizens criticised civic bodies for their failure to address a recurring problem. Although the siphons and the mesh have restricted foam from entering the streets, froth continues to enter Varthur village.

Menace spreads:

Residents living around Subramanyapura Lake near Uttarahalli in south Bengaluru were shocked to see the western side of the lake foaming on Saturday morning. The residents alleged that some parts of the lake had been encroached upon. Other parts of the lake have turned into a dump yard the residents also alleged.

Inspection:

On Saturday morning, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) commissioner Rakesh Singh carried out a routine inspection of Varthur Lake. The residents are however unhappy with the work and say that the civic authorities need to do much more to solve the problem.