Rampura Lake on the verge of dying due to discharging of toxic effluents

Parts of the Rampura Lake has been taking on purplish, magenta hues. The water in this lake is nowhere close to good. The colour is acquired from the waste water that flows into the lake from a dyeing unit which is located closeby.

The lake falls under the Bidarahalli Gram Panchayat but the Panchayat Development Officer, Nagaraj M, is in doubt whether the lake comes under his jurisdiction.

According to the residents of Rampura, a dyeing unit has been functioning across the lake for three years. Waste water produced by the dyeing unit is pumped into the lake every day but no action has been taken to protect the lake from being polluted. They alleged that no one has bothered to inspect the lake all these years.

“The people working at the dyeing unit release waste water into the lake. The water is not safe for even cows and buffaloes. Recently, a few cows died after drinking the polluted water in the lake. The lake is the only source of water for stray cattle. We are worried about the quality of groundwater. If the authorities fail to stop the dyeing unit, ground water will get polluted,’’ says Narayana Gowda, a resident of Rampura.

The lake is a major source of water for animals and birds “We are following all the rules. We have the necessary permissions from the local authorities,’’ said Karthik, the owner of the dyeing unit set up near the Rampura Lake.

Bidarahalli Panchayat Development Officer Nagaraj M said that, “I have already directed them to stop the dyeing process. I gave them 10 days to pack up. If they fail to do so, I will report it to the higher authorities.’’

When the KR Puram tahsildar Ram Laxman was informed about the lake, he said that he too was not aware of what has been going on around Rampura Lake. “I suspect the involvement of the Bidarahalli PDO. The dyeing unit cannot function without the PDO’s knowledge. I will look into the matter,’’ says Ram Laxman.

Not many people know of its existence, as it is located in a remote area. The picturesque lake is an attraction for migratory birds but as the quality of water has been depreciating, it may soon become a thing of the past, unless the authorities take some immediate intervention to protect the natural body.