A motorcyclist drives past piles of foam at Varthur Kodi junction in east Bengaluru yesterday. The innocuous-looking foam, which from a distance, looks like snow covering the road is nothing but toxic effluent caused by the polluted sewage water overflowing from nearby Varthur Lake. The foam is a result of the water in the lake having high content of ammonia and phosphate and very low dissolved oxygen. Sewage from many parts of Bengaluru is released into the lake, leaving it extremely polluted. The foam spilled onto Varthur Main Road, causing a traffic pile up besides spreading an unbearable stench in the air.
