Proposal to pump treated water into Kukkarahalli Lake opposed by environmentalists, public

Mysuru: The proposal for a 12-km pipeline that will channel water from a sewage treatment plant (STP) at Hebbal to Kukkarahalli Lake has met with opposition from environmentalists and green activists. The project, aimed to increase flow of fresh water into Kukkarahalli Lake, has been planned alongside proposals by the Mysuru City Corporation to develop as STP at the site.
One of the primary objectives of the proposal is to lift water from Hebbal Lake to Kukkarahalli for 240 days a year, in accordance with the suggestions of a committee of experts that was constituted to draw a conservation plan for the latter waterbody.
Although MCC wants to take up work on the pipeline on a war footing, questions have been raised by environmentalists and residents. A few environmentalists are apprehensive over the STP near Hebbal Lake, currently maintained by Infosys under its CSR initiative, being handed over to MCC. They fear that lack of rigour among the engineers of the civic body could see Kukkarahalli Lake meeting the same fate as the Hebbal Lake in Bengaluru.
One of the reasons for Kukkarahalli Lake was getting polluted is that untreated sewage water from Jayalakshmipuram, Vontikoppa, Gokulam, VV Mohalla and surrounding areas being released into the waterbody. However, recently, the water entering the lake was diverted to the main sewage pipes.
With inflow into the lake reducing as a result of encroachments and feeder canals being closed, the expert committee suggested that an STP with a four million litres per day (MLD) capacity be set up near the lake at an estimated cost of Rs 7.20 crore, which would ensure flow of treated water into the lake and prevent it from getting dried up in the summer.
MCC also has plans of drawing treated water from the Hebbal Lake. The STP at Hebbal has a capacity of 6 MLD. The MCC’s plan is to lift treated water from Hebbal Lake and divert it to, apart from Kukkarahalli Lake, to Bommanahalli, Devara, Hinkal, Mariyappana, Bogadhi and Lingambudhi lakes.
Opposition to MCC’s plan
However, both public and environmentalists are urging deputy commissioner D Randeep to drop the proposal of setting up an STP at Kukkarahalli Lake. Convener of the Save Kukkarahalli Lake Committee KM Jayaramaiah, who has been fighting to save the waterbody for the past decade, said, “There is opposition to the idea of releasing treated water into the lake. There are fears that once Infosys hands over the maintenance of the STP to MCC, could see the plant getting shut in a few years. This will lead to untreated water being allowed to flow into the lake, which is what happened with Hebbal Lake in Bengaluru.”
Pointing out that nearly 10 lakh litres had flowed into Kukkarahalli Lake in the past few weeks owing to heavy rain in the region, Jayaramaiah added, “It’s more sensible to improve the feeder canals by clearing the encroachments instead of drawing water from another lake. Measures should also be taken to supply water from Cauvery River to the lake.”
Meanwhile, MCC commissioner G Jagadeesha told TOI, “Setting up an STP and releasing treated water into the lake is the only feasible option to increase inflow right now.”
MCC’s plan for STP at Kukkarahalli Lake
*Sewage treatment plant (STP) with 4 million litres per day (MLD) capacity planned at Kukkarahalli Lake
*Rs 7.20 crore Estimated cost of the STP
*Rs 50 lakh Maintenance cost of the STP per annum
*Proposal to lift treated water from Hebbal Lake, and distribute it to seven lakes, including Kukkarahalli at the cost of Rs 6.50 crore
*Water to be lifted using two 80 HP pumps for 240 days a year