Bengaluru: The city’s Varthur lake had caught fire yet again at three different spots near the Balligeri inlet.
Around 3.15 PM on Sunday, residents of Thubarahalli Extension in Varthur noticed smoke emerging from the middle of the lake. Within half an hour, the smoke had engulfed the entire area.
Nearby residents complained that the smoke has engulfed their apartment and ashes of burnt leaves are flying into their homes.
A resident of Thubarahalli told The News Minute, “My apartment is just 1 km away from the lake. The smoke is so thick that it is coming into our house. No matter how many times we protest, people keep violating National Green Tribunal (NGT) rules and causing harm. The people living in illegal settlements along the lake’s buffer zone keep burning garbage there and BBMP, too, dumps garbage there.”
A fire engine arrived the spot after the residents informed the Fire Control Room about the incident.
Jagadish Reddy, a social activist said “This is the second big fire that occurred in Varthur Lake. Last time, it was garbage burning; but this time, the fire started in the middle of the lake where the water meets the weeds and grass. The cause remains uncertain. We will know only after firefighters doused the fire.”
In March 2017, Varthur Lake caught fire after miscreants burned garbage near the lake’s inlet. On the day the lake caught fire, the toxic foam shot up from the water and fell on commuters who were taking the nearby roads. Firefighters were stunned by the intensity of the smoke and later found that it was caused due to the burning of garbage.
An official with the Sarjapur Fire Station said, “These have been the two big fires but small fire incidents keep happening in Varthur Lake. Last year, there were three minor fires, which were resolved within a few minutes. The dried up weeds had caught fire. We couldn’t make out whether it was a man-made disaster or not.”
