Bellandur Lake, in India’s technology capital of Bangalore, carries huge volumes of toxic foam which blocks the adjacent canals. The snowy froth, a cocktail of chemicals and sewage, has a pungent odour and causes irritation on contact with the skin. Photo: Debasish Ghosh / The Guardian

By Debasish Ghosh
1 October 2015 (The Guardian) – IT professional Debasish Ghosh has been documenting toxic foam in the Indian city’s polluted lake system. The snowy froth, a cocktail of chemicals and sewage, has a pungent odour and causes irritation on contact with the skin. Bangalore was once known for its interconnected lake systems which provided a reliable source of water. As the city grew these lakes became polluted by chemicals and sewage, creating a harmful snowy froth, which floats up from the city’s largest lake and spills over into surrounding areas.

Bellandur Lake, in India’s technology capital of Bangalore, carries huge volumes of toxic foam which blocks the adjacent canals. The snowy froth, a cocktail of chemicals and sewage, has a pungent odour and causes irritation on contact with the skin. Photo: Debasish Ghosh / The Guardian

Bellandur Lake, in India’s technology capital, now carries huge volumes of snowy froth which blocks the adjacent canals. […] Many such lakes in Bangalore becoming polluted with harmful chemicals like nitrates, potassium, and sulphates. […] In May, the lake caught fire twice. [more]

Bangalore’s lake of toxic foam – in pictures