Debunking allegations by some people about treated water from K.C. and H.N. valley of Bengaluru let out to the tanks of Kolar and Chickballapur being harmful, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Tuesday told the Legislative Assembly that a study by IISc experts showed that prevalence of diseases had, in fact, reduced in those areas by 67%.
Replying to BJP member Dheeraj Muniraju during the Zero Hour, the Minister said the quality of available water in these areas had actually improved after taking up the project of filling up tanks in these parched districts from the treated water from K.C. and H.N. valley of Bengaluru.
This had reduced the prevalence of diseases like typhoid, dysentery and viral hepatitis, he said.
Mr. Byre Gowda said the government had got the IISC experts to study the project right from its inception in 2017-18 so that any negative impact on people’s health or environment would come to light immediately.
The IISc was regularly collecting groundwater samples for testing. These test reports had indicated improvement in the quality of groundwater, he said. “Let there be no doubt on the quality of water. It is cent per cent compliant with the norms of KSPCB, WHO norms and those regulations from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forestry,” he said.
At the same time, the Minister said the tertiary and fourth stage treatment of water would be taken up as and when the funds are available.
