JOIN USDC tells officials to prepare report on STP at Kukkarahalli Lake
Deputy Commissioner D Randeep directed officials to prepare a report to establish Sewage Treatment Plan (STP) at Kukkarahalli Lake and to fill fresh water into the lake.
Addressing a meeting of officials to discuss development of Kukkarahalli Lake, Randeep said that fresh water can be released into the lake through pipelines from Hebbal Lake. Randeep asked officials to prepare a detailed report about STP and laying of pipelines.
Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Superintendent Engineer Suresh Babu said that 90% of sewage that flows into Kukkarahalli Lake has been stopped. There is a need for an STP to purify the remaining 10% water. The unit can be developed on 1.5 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 9.4 crore, he said.
“An STP being set up by Infosys near Hebbal Lake has the capacity to purify seven million litres of water. While the Hebbal Lake’s unit can hold only one million litres, the remaining water can be diverted to Kukkarahalli lake through pipelines,” he said. “We need to lay a five kilometres stretch pipeline which requires Rs 3.5 crore funds,” Babu said.
Environmentalist U N Ravikumar said that instead of setting up an STP near Kukkarahalli, it would be better to divert water from the existing STP in Hebbal. He also suggested that a new STP should be established on the outskirts of the city. However, the DC asked the officials to prepare a detailed report in this regard.
An officer from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board said that they have tested the quality of soil and water in the lake and suggested fish breeding in the lake.
A few members said that Lake Development Authority has released Rs 1 crore and Tourism department Rs 2 crore to the University of Mysore (UoM) which is the custodian of the lake. This has set the ball rolling for initiating development works of the lake at a cost of Rs 3 crore. Of the Rs 3 crore, Rs 1.35 crore is still pending with UoM. The remaining funds can be utilised on basic facilities such as fencing, construction of toilets, footpath, suggested a few members. The DC directed UoM Executive Engineer Kishore Chandra and Assistant Executive Engineer Shivalinga Prasad to seek suggestions on investing the remaining funds.