Bangalore:
Speaking during his visit to Tippagondanahalli Reservoir and Arkavathi River area with a team of officials of water board on Friday, Law and Parliamentary Affairs & Bangalore Water Supply Minister, S Suresh Kumar said the state government was thinking of forming the Arkavathy and Kumudwathi River Development Authority, with a view to reviving the Tippagondanahalli Reservoir. The reservoir supplies drinking water to the entire Bangalore North areas.
The minister directed the officials to take up desilting work of the reservoir along with removal of encroachments. "The officials concerned, have to make all preparations before taking up these works," he added.
He suggested setting up of a sewage treatment plant near Tavarekere, which has to be managed by the Tavarekere Gram Panchayat. The treated water will be used for industrial, agriculture and other purposes.
"It is the duty of every citizen of the city to protect the Tippagondanahalli Reservoir (formerly called as Chamarajasagara) which supplied drinking water to the entire Bangalore for many decades. The citizens will have to face serious consequences if they failed in this duty," he added.
Suresh Kumar said that the need of the hour was to remove all the bottlenecks that are preventing flow of rain water into the T G Halli Reservoir. "All encroachments including illegal layouts and industries should be removed without much delay. The entire reservoir area should be surveyed and put up the boundary stones. The work of identifying the boundary has been launched by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the work is expected to be complete soon. Steps should also be taken to check the entry of effluents into the reservoir," he noted.
The minister said the Nelamangala Development Authority had already removed 21 illegal layouts. "Despite that a number of industrial units have come up on the command area. The authorities should take immediate steps for removal of encroachments in the whole area. Directions are issued to stop the stone quarrying completely. The Department of Revenue should not issue any new kathas in the area by declaring it as 'protected area', he said. BWSSB chairman P B Ramamurthy and others were present.