Mysuru: Alleging that sewage water from Saragur and H.D. Kote taluks are flowing into Kabini Dam backwaters, thus posing a severe health risk to people and livestock, the Save Kabini Horata Samithi has threatened to lodge cases against the authorities for failing to act on the matter.

Addressing a press meet here on Tuesday, Advocate Ravi Kumar said that Chamarajanagar District Minister will be asked to drink the same polluted water during the flag hoisting programme on Independence Day (Aug. 15) and cases would be filed against Deputy Commissioner (DC), Zilla Panchayat (ZP) CEO, Taluk Panchayat EO and Tahsildar if action is not taken to prevent sewage water from entering the Kabini River.

Stating that the Samithi, comprising environmental activists, farmers, pro-Kannada activists and local residents, had collected random samples of polluted water and sent them to a National Laboratory for testing, Ravi Kumar said that the report revealed poisonous aluminium particles and bacteria were high in content. The consumption of such a highly polluted water is posing a severe threat to the health of the people living in Nagarahole forest fringes, livestock and forest animals.

Asserting that the inflow of untreated sewage and drainage water from H.D. Kote and Saragur towns is responsible for people and livestock falling ill, Ravi Kumar alleged that the Town Panchayats and Gram Panchayats in the two taluks are functioning with a negligent attitude.

Even the elected representatives have turned a blind eye to this serious problem, he maintained.

Ravi Kumar further said that samples of polluted Kabini water will be despatched to the Chief Justice of India and as well to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and others concerned for drawing their attention.

Honnur Prakash, Manjukiran, Bhanu Mohan, Kumaraswamy, DPK Paramesh, Jagadish and Madhukesh were present at the press meet.

4-member Panel to probe pollution

Acting on allegations of pollution of Kabini backwaters by inflow of untreated sewage water and drainage water from H.D. Kote and Saragur taluks and tourism-related commercial establishments, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner (DC) G. Lakshmikanth Reddy yesterday constituted a four-member Committee to investigate complaints of ‘untreated liquid waste discharge and indiscriminate dumping of solid waste’ into the river’s ecosystem.

The Committee, headed by ZP Deputy Secretary Bheemapppa Laali (Mob: 99868-34008), has been entrusted with conducting spot inspections of Kabini backwaters, verifying the pollution allegations, identifying the sources of contamination and fixing responsibility on the departments concerned.

The others in the Committee are: Rangaiah (Member), Executive Engineer, Kabini Project (Mob: 81054-99243), Ravichandra (Member-Secretary), Executive Officer (EO), H.D. Kote Taluk Panchayat (Mob: 73494-53154 or 94808-73105) and Sunil (Member), Environmental Officer, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (Mob: 98459-33166).

The Committee has also been directed to collect details of all resorts, homestays, hotels and other tourism-related commercial establishments located around Kabini backwaters and examine whether they are complying with the prescribed norms for solid and liquid waste management. It will find out whether untreated sewage water is entering the backwaters, streams and surrounding areas and ascertain whether solid waste too is being dumped illegally. If required, water samples will be collected and sent for Laboratory analysis to determine the contamination, the DC said.