Curbing Cauvery pollution DPR in 2 months: Govt to HC

The state government on Wednesday submitted to Karnataka High Court that a comprehensive report on curbing the flow of sewage and industrial effluents to the Cauvery river will be prepared in two months.

A division bench of Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice M Nagaprasanna was hearing a public interest litigation by S E Jayanth and others, seeking cleaning up of Cauvery river, the lifeline of Kodagu and Mysore region, and its tributaries.

Additional Government Advocate Ajith Achchappa submitted the affidavit stating that the Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Department has appointed an agency to prepare a detailed project report (DPR), on curbing the flow of sewage to Cauvery river and its tributaries, by February 3, 2020.

Within two weeks of submission of the report, the government will invite short-term tenders for initiating the work.

‘Funds set aside’

The project, mainly involving
the Gram Panchayats across
Cauvery river, will seek to implement wastewater management to ensure the sewage is not discharged into the river.

The government advocate further submitted that the fund for the project has been set aside, but the same cannot be utilised till the government prepares a detailed project report on the issue.

The government will take the appropriate
steps to save the river and its tributaries, the
government advocate submitted.