NGT orders immediate closure of industries near Bengaluru lake

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed an immediate and complete shutdown of all industries around Bengaluru's Bellandur Lake where a mound of garbage was set on fire in February this year. 

Slamming the local civic bodies for inaction, a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar also banned dumping of any kind of municipal solid waste around the lake.

It said, no industry is permitted to operate unless inspection by a joint inspection team is conducted and analysis of effluent is found to be within the permissible



limits.

The bench also announced an environment compensation of 5 lakh rupees on anyone found dumping waste in and around the lake.Earlier, NGT had lashed out at the Karnataka government and its agencies responsible for maintenance of the Bellandur lake. It had asked them why they should not be prosecuted for negligence following the recent outbreak of fire in the water body.

Tribunal has directed the state government to set up a committee, headed by Urban development department Additional Chief secretary, to monitor the rejuvenation of the lake.