Mangaluru: Congress to investigate allegations of untreated water being supplied.

Mangaluru: Congress to investigate allegations of untreated water being supplied.

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, January 6, 2025: MLC Ivan D’Souza announced that a fact-finding committee, comprising Congress corporators and experts, will be formed to investigate allegations of “untreated” water being supplied to 50 per cent of the areas within Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC). The committee will also look into the poor maintenance of sewage treatment plants (STPs), which has led to sewage flowing directly into the city’s rajakaluves and subsequently into rivers.

A detailed report highlighting these anomalies will be submitted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during his visit to Mangaluru on January 17. D’Souza stated that despite the MCC allocating Rs 1.50 crore annually for each STP’s maintenance, the facilities remain neglected. Along with the STPs, wet wells are also reportedly non-functional. He described this as a complete failure of the BJP-led MCC administration.

A recent report revealed that 13 rivers in Karnataka, including the Nethravathi, are polluted. Despite evidence of contamination in the Nethravathi, the primary water source for Mangaluru, no corrective measures have been taken, he alleged.

“It is shocking to learn that “untreated” water is being supplied to residents. While the Mayor claimed that only primary treated water is distributed, he has rejected the demand of the opposition to form the fact-finding to verify these claims,” Ivan D’Souza said.

“Access to clean drinking water is as essential as roads and streetlights. Why have the two BJP MLAs representing MCC areas remained silent on this issue? Due to malfunctioning STPs and wet wells, lakes like Gujjarakere and Kavoor Kere remain polluted, even after crores of rupees were spent on their development. The Congress will not compromise on the issue of “untreated” water being supplied to citizens – we will bring this matter to the public,” he added.

The MLC urged the Urban Development Minister to convene a meeting of elected representatives in Mangaluru to assess the situation and implement proactive measures to ensure the supply of treated water. He also called on the MCC Commissioner to conduct random tests on the preliminary treated water supplied to various parts of the city and make the results public. Additionally, the Commissioner was urged to submit a report on the non-functional STPs to the state government.

He revealed that according to officials, an estimated Rs 250 to Rs 300 crore is required to upgrade the STPs and rehabilitate underground drainage (UGD) lines.

Leader of Opposition in the Council, Anil Kumar, recounted his visit to the Pacchanady STP, where he observed polluted water flowing through the rajakaluve connected to the Maravoor dam. “There isn’t a single rajakaluve in the city without sewage water contamination,” he remarked.

Congress Corporator Shashidhar Hegde pointed out that contractors maintaining the STPs have failed to adhere to tender conditions. Despite significant investments under schemes like KUDCEMP, AMRUT, and Smart City Mission, wet wells and STPs continue to underperform.

Corporator Praveenchandra Alva highlighted that pumps and aerators in STPs and wet wells are not functioning. He cited the Jeppinamogaru wet well as an example, explaining that due to its malfunction, sewage overflows from wet wells into the rajakaluve, contaminating areas from Pumpwell to the Nethravathi.