A shocking revelation emerged during an unannounced inspection by Lokayukta officers at Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) offices on Wednesday — water in 2,020 lakes across various Bengaluru zones is classified under categories ‘D’ and ‘E’, rendering it unfit even for farming.
Officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) are reportedly discharging raw sewage into the Vrishabhavathi River due to the absence of underground drainage infrastructure — not due to industrial or residential waste. This has drastically impacted the river’s water quality, pushing it to the lowest categories.
Despite consistent monthly water tests showing poor results over the years, KSPCB has not initiated corrective measures nor filed legal cases under environmental laws. Although KSPCB claims there is a 50-metre buffer zone near the river in BDA and BBMP limits, illegal structures have not been removed even within this margin.
Justice B. Veerappa, the Upa Lokayukta, accompanied by legal and police teams, exposed these failings during an inspection in the RR Nagar region — one of 27 surprise visits. During this visit, KSPCB admitted that lakes in zones like Anekal, Bommanahalli, Mahadevapura, and Bengaluru East are critically polluted.
Justice Veerappa also ordered a probe into unexplained UPI transactions by KSPCB staff, hinting at possible financial misconduct.
Simultaneously, Justice B.S. Patil and IGP Subramanyeshwara Rao investigated corruption and inefficiency allegations at KSPCB’s central and Peenya offices.