Hennagara lake pollution: Government awards work to build UGD for Jigani town

Following a Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) report highlighting multiple drains polluting Hennagara Lake, the state government has issued a work order to construct an underground drainage (UGD) system in the unsewered areas of Jigani town — the primary source of wastewater flowing into the lake.

The KSPCB report had noted that drains from Jigani, including the industrial area, and from Hennagara, Vaddarapalli, Madapatna, and Mastenahalli villages were discharging wastewater into the lake. The absence of a UGD system meant untreated sewage continued to flow directly into these drains.

Last year, the Southern Zone Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had criticised the government over the slow progress in addressing the issue.

The Urban Development Department (UDD) has now informed the tribunal that a Rs 82.23-crore work order has been issued to a private contractor for constructing a 73.56-km sewer network, providing house service connections to 6,300 units, installing machine holes, and supplying two suction-jetting machines and two desilting machines.

The project also includes building a 6 MLD-capacity sewage treatment plant (STP) in Hennagara, a 110-KLD STP in Srirampura, two wet wells, a rising main of nearly 7 km, pumping systems, and associated electrical works.

Deepa Cholan, secretary of the department, informed the tribunal that the work order carries a completion deadline of three years, with an additional five-year period for operation and maintenance. She added that land acquisition has begun, with the Town Municipal Council contributing 10% of the acquisition cost.

In the interim, the government said sewage generated in the area will be transported by tanker to the STP in Anekal for treatment. “The above steps are being taken to ensure that there is no entry of sewage into Hennagara Lake,” the department stated.