Karnataka government scraps 'Another Cauvery for Bengaluru' project

The government’s ambitious 'Another Cauvery for Bengaluru' plan has been given a silent burial. The plan to revive Arkavathy and Dakshina Pinakini rivers, announced in the Budget last year, was dropped, causing a major setback to government and non-government efforts in reviving these water sources.

The government, which dropped the project, apparently due to paucity of funds, had estimated that the revival of the two dead rivers would have fetched 1,400 MLD (million litres a day) water to Bengaluru — equivalent to the amount pumped from Cauvery to the city. Meanwhile, another proposal to revive Dakshina Pinakini — discussed by the state Cabinet last year — too has made little headway.

The project was proposed in Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Area limits and involved rejuvenating all lakes in river basin areas, strategies to harvest rainwater, ensuring only clean water flowed in the river by releasing treated water, among others. The government had allocated Rs 50 crore for the project, and Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board had held meetings on the project.

However, paucity of funds and delay in providing a detailed proposal for the project were among the reasons for shelving the project, sources said. Currently, Bengaluru consumes 18.5 tmcft of water a year, which may go up by 2 tmcft by the end of 2021.

The government revealed its decision to scrap the project in response to a question by JD(S) MLA Bandeppa Kashempur. The reply furnished by the Chief Minister's office also raised questions on whether the project would be taken up in the near future due to the state's fiscal troubles.

The proposal to revive Dakshina Pinakini, which was discussed by the state Cabinet in December 2019, has also hit a roadblock. N Vishwanathan, former additional chief secretary and one of the trustees of Dakshina Pinakini Rejuvenation Trust, which proposed to raise corporate social responsibility funds for the project, said that they were seeking assistance from the government.

"The trust will raise funds, but the government has to assist. We sent a proposal for a startup grant to begin the project, which is under consideration with the Minor Irrigation Department," he said.

Environmentalist A N Yellappa Reddy said that though there was little support from government, several groups were involved in reviving lakes and kalyani's along Dakshina Pinakini. Improving flow in Arkavathy river is a challenge as its basin is beset by rapid urbanisation, he added.