'Water to Kolar to be pumped after quality assurance'

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday directed the government to submit a report on the quality of water pumped from two jackwells to the minor irrigation tanks of Kolar district.

The Advocate General (AG) submitted that the contamination of water in the lake in KC valley was due to the overflow of treated water from a jackwell due to heavy rains. The AG said they have commissioned the setting up of 1,013 reverse osmosis (RO) plants in Kolar and 92 RO plants are in the process of being set up. He submitted that while other parts of the state had witnessed heavy rains, Kolar recorded 60% rain deficit this year, leading to a drought.

A division bench headed by Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari was hearing a public interest litigation challenging the KC valley project on the ground that it was affecting the health of the people as the untreated water was polluting the groundwater.

The court asked the government to submit an aerial view model of the process of water treatment, collection and discharge process from Bellandur lake to Kolar.

The AG sought the court’s permission to pump water on the next date of hearing. He submitted that the water had been tested and was found to be fit for use.

Residents wanted early resumption of pumping of treated water to Kolar, but the court has refused to permit the same on the ground that it had to be completely assured of the water quality.

The AG submitted that the water from Bellandur lake is sent to a jackwell where the water is stored and pumped into the lakes. The court asked if there was a provision for an alternative jackwell in case there is some problem with the existing one.

To this, the AG submitted that there was another jackwell, 9.5 km away from the existing jackwell. The court asked the state to test this jackwell by pumping water into it and submit a report on September 20.