Visvesvaraya sub-canal turns open drain, Cauvery water polluted

CMC issues notices as illegal drainage pipes connected to canal

Cauvery River water, released from the Krishnaraja Sagar (KRS) dam, flows into the city through the sub-canal of Visvesvaraya Canal but gets polluted once it enters the city limits as drainage water from houses is being illegally let into the canal.

The Visvesvaraya sub-canal passes through Marigowda Layout, Annapoorneshwari Nagar, Chamundeshwari Nagar and Housing Board Layout towards Cheeranahalli. Sewage pipes from houses in the residential areas are connected to the canal turning it into an open drain.

People remember it to be a sub-canal only when Cauvery water flows but during the rest of the year, it resembles an open drain. Though the City Municipal Council (CMC) has issued notices to the residents in this regard, people tend to ignore them.

The canal was repaired by the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam a couple of years ago. Now, with water being released into the canals, it gets mixed with sewage water, posing a threat to the health of the residents here. While a few residents wash their clothes in the sub-canal, children play in the water and livestock quench their thirst with the polluted water. Consumption of this water can cause health issues.

Narayana, a resident of Marigowda Layout, alleged that the drainage pipes have been connected to the canal in front of Gowrishankar Kalyan Mantap and the drain water flows into it everyday. But no steps have been taken in this regard.

Moreover, the canal has turned into a garbage dumping yard. The Cauvery Neeravari Nigam maintains the canal only when Cauvery water is released into it but it remains neglected during the rest of the year.

While a portion of the canal comes under the CMC limits, a part of it comes under Bevinahalli Grama Panchayat limits. As there is no collection of garbage in the areas, people dump their garbage into the canal. The GP members have not made any effort to clean the canal, CMC member Shashidhar said.

CMC Commissioner T N Narasimhamurthy told DH that no UGD water flows into the canal. “The canal was constructed to drain storm water and has been connected to the Visvesvaraya Canal. A few locals have illegally connected their drainage pipes to it. Suitable action would be taken against them,” he warned.