Mangaluru: With non-functional fountain aerators, Gujjarakere stinks again while fishes die

Mangaluru Smart City's fountain aerators fail, causing stench in Gujjarakere lake as MCC struggles to address sewage seepage.

With the five fountain aerators installed by Mangaluru Smart City Ltd., in July 2022 to oxygenate the water body and remove dissolved organic compounds becoming non-functional, the historic Gujjarakere has begun to stink again even as Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has failed to plug sewage seepage into the lake in the heart of the City.

While hundreds of people visit the lake for morning and evening walks, they were upset at having to inhale the stench, said Praveen Bappal, a resident of the area. “Of late, fishes in the lake have been dying apparently because of the reduced oxygen levels and increased dissolved oxygen content. Local residents have been removing dead fish along with other trash sometimes these days,” he said.

Gujjarakere Tirtha Samrakshana Samithi Secretary Nemu Kottari squarely blamed the MCC for its inability to plug the sewage flow into the lake. Several complaints to authorities concerned, laboratory reports that indicate the lake water being contaminated with sewage and even public outcry did not have any impact on the Corporation to address the issue, he regretted.

MSCL installed the fountain aerators to oxygenate the water body. When water was pumped through the fountains, water droplets collected air from the environment and fell back into the Lake. The round-the-clock process oxygenated the water body besides removing dissolved organic compounds. The fountain aerators with colourful lights added beauty to the lake in the evenings.

“We have not seen the aerators working after Navaratri festival,” said Kusuma Devadiga, a resident of the area. The water appeared fresh even as colourful lights in the evenings used to enhance the lake’s beauty, she said.

After rejuvenating the lake in March 2022, MSCL handed it over to the MCC, said a senior Smart City official. MSCL has impounded about ₹1.5 lakh security deposit from the contractor for his failure to properly operate the fountains. The same would be handed over to the MCC to undertake repair works, he said.

MCC Commissioner Ravichandra Naik said he was not aware of fountain aerators going dysfunctional. He would look into the issue, the Commissioner said.