"Usually, a pile of garbage strewn around the lake is set on fire, but yesterday it caused a scare among residents and motorists as the smoke started billowing and surrounding the lake in the evening," K U Ramesh, Deputy Director at Karnataka Fire Department, said.

The fire was doused in half an hour, he said.

The area, for a while, was enveloped by huge clouds of smoke, he said.

Residents hit out at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials for their "lackadaisical" attitude to stop dumping of garbage.