Though residents of Kanikere in Derelakatte, a hub of medical and allied colleges, heaved a sigh of relief following the local panchayat’s order to close down a petrol bunk from whose storage facility fuel had reportedly been seeping into three open wells, residents are yet to get relief from contamination of underground water because of open discharge of untreated sewage from multi-storeyed buildings in the area.
Following an oral communication from the Karnataka Pollution Control Board officials about leakage from the petrol storage facility of the fuel station, Belma Gram Panchayat Development Officer (PDO) Naveen Hegde issued notice on Monday ordering Indian Oil Corporation dealer to suspend operations until further orders.
After residents found traces of petrol and diesel in the contaminated water in the three disused wells on November 7, Minister U.T. Khader directed KSPCB to investigate.
The 24-hour closure of the fuel station then did not disclose traces of fuel seepage, while KSPCB carried out another test on November 16 after emptying the storage tanks.
Senior Environment Officer Jayaprakash Nayak said that petrol and diesel tanks were filled with water and air pressure was applied.
Water volume remained the same in the diesel tank while it was down by two centimetres in the petrol tank. “As this indicated leakage from the tank, IOCL officials were asked to replace it,” Mr. Nayak said.
Sewage seepage
However, the woes of the residents against open discharge of sewage from residential/commercial complexes into two large pits, disused open wells and a lake continues. “Following complaints on November 8, owners of these buildings transported portion of sewage by tankers and offloaded it in a stream nearby. Discharge of untreated sewage still continues,” said a resident.
Mr. Hegde said that notices have been issued to building owners concerned. “We have directed them to construct a sewage treatment plant (STP) at the earliest,” he said and added that residents are being provided free drinking water since July.
Mr. Khader told The Hindu that a free hand has been given to officials to act against those harming the environment by openly allowing discharge of sewage. “Action should be taken also against officials responsible for allowing construction of these buildings without an STP. The condition in Kanikere is an example for other panchayats of the impact of allowing discharge of untreated sewage,” he said.
