The Petition Committee of the Legislative Council, aided by expert advice from Magsaysay award-winning water conservationist Rajendra Singh, has submitted its recommendations to preserve the T.G. Halli reservoir by augmenting inflow of water from the Arkavathy and Kumudvathi rivers.
The 24-page report, submitted to Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shanakaramurthy, has studied encroachments of raja kaluve and mushrooming of industries and illegal layouts along the course of the two rivers, besides other issues including reduction in water table.
To be tabled
Committee Chairperson Vimala Gowda said that “a judicious decision” had been arrived at after a series of field visits and meetings. The report will be tabled in the coming Assembly session.
The State Government had, earlier this year, set up a committee to clear encroachments along Arkavathy's course and on its catchments. The high-level committee comprises the deputy commissioners of Ramanagaram, Chickballapur and Bangalore districts. Experts say the water inflow has drastically reduced because of encroachments, even when there is good rain.
Overexploitation
Prior to this, the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Ltd. had conducted a study of the Arkavathy course. Analysis of data collected from topo sheets, satellite images and rainfall details of the catchment area had indicated overexploitation of groundwater for industrial, agriculture and domestic purposes as one of the reasons for the reduced runoff of Arkavathy. It had recommended constituting an authority to enforce the regulations in the catchment area. Way back in 2003, the State Department of Forest, Ecology and Environment had issued a notification restricting certain activities in the catchments of T.G. Halli, a major source of drinking water for west Bangalore. These included granite quarrying, stone crushing, letting out of any solid or liquid industrial waste without treatment. It had also recommended water harvesting and conservation steps in the area.
