BENGALURU: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Vishwanath Shetty initiated suo motu proceedings against officials over environmental pollution caused by the numerous ‘clandestine’ dyeing industries that are mushrooming in KR Puram on Friday. He asked for a report by corporation and pollution board officials regarding the status of the industries and actions taken to prevent water pollution.
These industries reportedly caused pollution by letting untreated water into the KR Puram lake, effectively killing not just the water body but animals that drink from it. They allegedly compromised the health of locals and the soil quality, thereby the food that is produced there, ruled the Lokayukta.
Shetty impleaded the deputy commissioner of Bengaluru Urban district, commissioner and joint commissioner, BBMP, member secretary of KSPCB, BESCOM managing director, BWSSB engineer in chief, deputy commissioner of Police, East Division, Bengaluru, and Tahsildar, East Taluk, KR Puram, as respondents.
Background of the case
A local newspaper had reported that the farmers, who had given their land to these industries, alleged that pits were dug up to let out the effluents. It had quoted a scientist claiming that this practice was killing the fertility of the soil. It is said that the polluted water that was let into the lake had killed animals and posed a danger to residents who consume the produce from this soil. The report said that locals were exposed to immunity issues and skin, fertility and respiratory problems.