Rivers Polluted By Untreated Sewage; 11 Urban Local Bodies Booked
Untreated household wastewater is destroying rivers, including the Cauvery, Kabini, Arkavathi, Tungabhadra, and Bhadra.
Belagavi : Criminal cases have been filed against 11 urban local bodies for allowing untreated domestic sewage to flow into rivers, the Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister told the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday.
Replying to a question by MLA Darshan Puttannaiah during Question Hour, Minister Eshwar B Khandre said untreated household wastewater was being discharged into major rivers, including the Cauvery, Kabini, Arkavathi, Tungabhadra, and Bhadra. He said the cases registered against the erring city corporations and municipalities were at various stages of trial in different courts.
He said regular water quality monitoring was being carried out and local bodies had been directed to take immediate steps to ensure proper treatment of sewage. Measures were also being taken to prevent the discharge of untreated industrial effluents and domestic wastewater into rivers, he added.
The Minister said 30 local bodies are located along the banks of 12 rivers in the State, generating around 814 million litres per day (MLD) of domestic wastewater. However, sewage treatment facilities are available only for 614 MLD, while there are no treatment plants for the remaining 203 MLD.
Responding to a question by MLA TS Srivatsa, Khandre said the Mysuru Zoo has 139 sanctioned posts and that a proposal has been submitted to the Finance Department to fill the vacant positions.
He said recruitment had been delayed due to issues related to internal reservation and pending court verdicts. He added that during direct recruitment, contractual staff presently working at the zoo would be given experience-based weightage while filling the posts.
