In an effort to clean choking lakes in IT city Bengaluru hundreds of students of a school have approached Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a novel way by writing their grievances in postcards. The students of KK High School located on the borders of highly-polluted Varthur lake have sought the intervention of Prime Minister to save them from the polluted lake where their school is located.
The first instalment of the letter posted on Monday seeks the intervention of PM to help save the lake. It said “Dear Modi Uncle, clean air, clear water and clean environment is our right. Protect our lakes and rivers from encroachment and pollution. We need our Varthur and Bangalore for our future. We need your intervention in protecting them.”
Varthur lake, one of the big lakes in Bengaluru which is part of natural inter-linkage of lakes has been a victim of man- made catastrophe. Heavy rains in the past month have led to froth — a result of industrial and domestic effluents being dumped in the lake — increase in proportion. The school had tied up with Indian Institute of Science researcher professor TV Ramachandra to monitor the water quality in the 445-acre lake since 1998. It has first-hand experience of the deteriorating ecology of the water body. The students who live in and around areas have become mute witness to the growing urbanisation and large-scale encroachment.
The froth, analysis showed, contained detergent, urine and faecal matter — the result, experts said, of untreated sewage being dumped into the lakes.
Media glare and requests by residents have not made any impact on the BBMP, the Bengaluru corporation which till date has not done anything to address the issue. The choking and smelling lakes have become unbearable and people are facing many health issues.
The letters addressed by students of this school are also part of their intention to ask the PM to address the issue of choking lakes across the country in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort. The PM had sought issues from the people for his address.
According to Md. Arifullah Khan, administrative associate of the school this was the last resort for the students to seek the intervention of PM to get the choking lake cleaned. He said “These letters will create awareness among children and encourage them to stand up and question our policy makers in future. We hope that these letters reach before Independence Day (when the PM addresses the country from the Red Fort).”