New Delhi, April 21 -- Bengaluru made global headlines in 2015 after the city's Bellandur lake started frothing regularly because of unchecked dumping of sewage and industrial effluents. That was not all. The same lake, the largest of the city's then 262 lakes and tanks, caught fire at least once a year between 2015 and 2018, among other complaints of poor sewage management across the bustling metropolis.

However, seven years down the line, in March this year, the city won Rs.103 crore worth of central government incentives for effective sewage management, with 23 out of the 30 sewage treatment plants (STPs) evaluated receiving a 5-star rating, another six receiving a 4-star rating, and one accorded a 3-star rating.

"Treated wastewater ...