National Green Tribunal queries sewage in Cauvery

Chennai: Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are likely to be at loggerheads again over the Cauvery issue though not over the water sharing issue. This time the contention is over Bengaluru’s sewage polluting Cauvery waters that flow into Tamil Nadu. Quoting a Deccan Chronicle report “Karnataka sending sewage down Cauvery to Tamil Nadu” published on May 9, 2015, a Chennai-based advocate has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) southern bench on Tuesday.

The tribunal has admitted the case and issued notices to all the 21 respondents. The notices were received by the standing counsels of Government of Karnataka, Government of Tamil Nadu and the Central Government. The first bench, comprising judicial member M. Chockalingam and expert member P.S. Rao, said there is merit in the petition and directed the respondents to file counter affidavits in the next hearing, which is due on July 28.

Speaking to this newspaper, petitioner K. Sudhan said Karnataka is committing “unpardonable crime” by polluting Cauvery waters that flows into TN. “Due to the untreated sewage being let into River Cauvery by Karnataka, the river water entering Tamil Nadu obviously carries along these toxins and impurities and TWAD is forced to use these waters for supplying drinking water to Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts through the Hogenakkal Integrated Drinking Water Project,” he said.

Karnataka minor irrigation minister Shivaraj Tangadagi has admitted on the floor of legislative council that Bengaluru uses 1,950 MLD of water daily, of which 1,482 MLD drains into Tamil Nadu through various river courses. Out of total 1,482 MLD discharge, 889 MLD of sewage water enters TN though South Pennar river identified as Dakshina Pinakini in Kannada and Thenpennai in Tamil. The sewage enters through Hosur before flowing into Kela-varapalli reservoir in Krishnagiri district, whose waters are used for irrigation and even for drinking water needs after treatment.

The remaining 593 MLD of sewage water flows into TN through Arkavathi river, which joins Mekedattu leading to Hogenakkal. The focus is on 593 MLD which directly affects the Hogenakkal drinking water supply scheme, the petitioner said. The counsel for the petitioner C. Vijay said since the revelation was made by the minister in the legislative council it can be conveniently construed that these facts are in-deed true, without giving any room to ambiguity.

After Karnataka minister made the startling revelation, Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu has issued order to Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) to check into the facts and initiate urgent measures. The TNPCB authorities did preliminary investigation and found that the Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels were 10 times above the normal range. To get a real-time date on water quality that is flowing into Hogenakkal, an automated water quality monitoring system is being put-up at Hogenakkal. The government has instructed TNPCB to take necessary measures, relating to the issue, on top priority, the government sources told the Deccan Chronicle.