The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will instal 1,000-litre-capacity fluoride treatment plants in nine wards of Yelahanka and Mahadevapura divisions.

The Palike decision comes after it discovered high fluoride and nitrate contents and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the underground water in the nine wards – Chowdeshwari Ward, Attur, Jakkur, Thanisandra, Hoodi, Anjaneya Palya, Hagadur, Varthur and Bellandur – while sinking borewells recently.

Moreover, the High Court had directed the civic authorities to provide potable water to citizens and set up water-filter plants in areas where water contamination is very high,
The Palike resorted to sinking borewells as the water table had drastically dipped in these areas.

Nitrate and fluoride are often described as silent killers and slow poison. While fluoride can cause arthritis, osteoporosis and other bone-related ailments, high nitrate content can lead to blue-baby syndrome causing heart-related problems among children.
Nitrate occurs in ground water due to sewage. Most of the water bodies in these areas are highly contaminated because untreated effluents are let directly into them by many apartment dwellers.

“Borewells in Attur are going too deep, almost 1,000 feet, where the chances of fluoride content in water is always very high. Tests have confirmed that fluoride, TDS and nitrate are high in Attur. So, the Palike has floated a tender to set up a water treatment plant in my ward,” said Attur Corporator K N Geetha Shashikumar.

She said the lakes in the newly added wards of the BBMP were highly contaminated due to lack of underground sewerage lines. She said her ward has Attur Lake, spread over 84 acres, but it has dried up despite heavy rains this year. “There was little water due to rains this year, but it has dried up again. The water table has depleted so badly that we have to sink a borewell near Attur Lake and the water again is contaminated,” said the corporator.

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