Bengaluru, March 10 Demanding tertiary treatment of water under the KC Valley project, which pumps treated sewage water from Bengaluru to lakes in drought-prone Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts, JD(S) MLA Samruddhi Manjunath on Tuesday displayed a bottle containing discolored water in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly.
He accused the Congress government of supplying impure water to Kolar and Chikkaballapura, and alleged, "You are poisoning our children."
Responding to the MLA during the question hour, Minor Irrigation Minister N S Boseraju said that the project was planned only for secondary treatment to improve groundwater levels.
The groundwater level, which had fallen to 1,500 feet, has now improved following this project, and water is now available at 250-300 feet, he said, adding that the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) is regularly providing reports regarding the quality of water.
Intervening, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda criticized the JD(S) MLA for politicizing the issue, and said that the Koramangala-Challaghatta (KC) Valley project has been appreciated by UN and World Bank officials.
The IISc, which is the country's premier institution, conducts tests every three months. The government was ready to accept recommendations from any "genuine" scientific institutions, on further improving the project, he said.
Food & Civil Supplies Minister K H Muniyappa, who hails from the region, suggested that the government convene a meeting of legislators from Kolar, Chikkaballapur and Bengaluru Rural districts, as well as experts from the IISc and other relevant institutions, aimed at addressing the concerns and providing clarity.
The project is aimed at filling tanks with secondary-treated water, he said, clarifying that tertiary treatment is required for drinking water projects.