Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has been supplying 90 million litre per day (MLD) of treated sewage as against the agreed quantum of 210 MLD and shortfall in availability is the major reason for non-filling of many tanks in Chickballapur and Kolar districts, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Minor Irrigation J.C. Madhuswamy informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
In reply to a question of V. Muniyappa of the Congress, Mr. Madhuswamy said the BWSSB had not been able to provide 210 MLD owing to leakage, non-establishment of sewage treatment plants and other reasons. The government has implemented the Hebbal–Nagawara (HN) Valley project aimed at supplying treated sewage for secondary use in drought-prone districts of Kolar and Chickballapur.
The original project envisages pumping 210 MLD recycled water from Hebbal (150 MLD), Hennur (40 MLD), and Horamavu (20 MLD) to help revive depleting water tables in the two districts.
Reduced usage?
K.R. Ramesh Kumar (Congress) questioned the BWSSB’s decision of not providing endorsement to 210 MLD and asked whether the detailed project report was done without consultation of the BWSSB. Mr Kumar said he wanted to know whether the population of Bengaluru and use of water had reduced for the shortage in the availability of sewage for recycling.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he would chair a meeting on the issue soon to critically examine the role of the BWSSB and take all steps to ensure justice to the people of Kolar and Chickballapur districts.
