Lake saviours attacked at Nagawara

Three days after excise minister MP Renukacharya came under attack from an illicit liquor mafia, senior environment officials were assaulted by a gang when they tried to stop them from polluting a lake.  

What was more shocking was that the assault was led by a ‘local corporator’ who came in a vehicle carrying the BBMP emblem on its registration plate. The corporators and mayor appeared to be unaware of the incident.

Those beaten up were chief conservator of forests UV Singh, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board’s (KSPCB) environmental officers Madhavi and Gurudev and Lake Development Authority’s (LDA) environmental officer Kulkarni.  They are being treated for injuries at Columbia Asia Hospital.
Incidentally, Singh had spearheaded the Lokayukta probe into the illegal mining in the state.

A case has been registered and police are trying to track the owner of the car and tanker involved in the case.  Expressing his shock, Lokayukta N Santosh Hegde described the incident as the death of democracy.

The incident happened on Sunday afternoon when the officials were inspecting the pollution level of Nagawara Lake. KSPCB member secretary MS Goudar said the team found a stream of blackish water entering the lake.

Tracking its source, they reached the water board’s sewerage treatment plant where they found a tanker discharging effluents and waste into the treated water at the outlet point. When questioned, the gang attacked them.

“We have filed a complained with Amruthahalli police station. The local goons came in a KA-03-MS-2088 silver Innova. The tanker’s registration number was KA-19-B-1013. When the officials were taking snaps, the goons snatched the camera and erased all photographs. The case is being investigated and a notice has been issued to the BWSSB officials,” said Goudar.

Singh described the incident thus. “I was on duty and inspecting the lake as I was told polluted water was flowing into the lake from the STP in Hebbal. I was surprised to see a tanker empting waste into the water. When questioned, the driver said the tanker was from Peenya industrial area. As our team was trying to collect water samples, five people stopped us and told us to leave.

“I told them I will not leave and that KSPCB officials and police were coming. Then they started arguing. Within half-an-hour, an Innova car came which had the BBMP emblem and a man dressed in white came out along with seven others. He said he was the local corporator and ordered us to leave. When we refused, we were beaten up,’’ said Singh. 

A police complaint has been lodged against the local corporator. A notice will also be sent to the water board on how a tanker managed to enter its premises.

“Over the two months, trucks are coming in and dumping industrial waste and polluting the water body. These vehicles come on Sundays,’’ Singh added.
Deputy commissioner of police Ravikanthe Gowda said the man in white allegedly introduced himself as local corporator Manju.

“We are going through the history of Manju and trying to trace him and the vehicles. A squad has been formed to look into the matter,” he said.
Mayor SK Nataraj said, “I am not aware of the incident as I was busy with work related to Kannada Sammelana. I will look into the matter on Monday.’’

Local corporators said the ward does not come under them. Amrutahalli corporator Indiramma said she was not aware of the incident. The area does not come under her, she said. Same was the reaction from MN Govindaraju, another corporator.

Thanisandra corporator Lalita Mukandra said the incident occurred in Donivihara, where there was some water-related problem.