BENGALURU, 12 SEPT

To address water pollution issues and improve resource management, Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to convene a meeting with the Ministers of Water Resources and Minor Irrigation for the purification of water from the Thippagondanahalli Reservoir. The reservoir also known as the TG Halli Dam is located 33km from Bengaluru and has a capacity of 1.07 TMC to 3.34 TMC.

Khandre’s proposal aims to tackle the current state of the reservoir due to pollution by exploring treatment options. He suggested that the treated water could be repurposed for construction and industrial activities.

In his letter, Khandre cited the success of treating wastewater from high-rise buildings in Bengaluru and selling it for construction purposes. This initiative, he noted, has proven effective in conserving drinking water while also generating additional income for building owners.

He recommended establishing water treatment plants through public-private partnerships near the reservoir and other contaminated lakes in the City. He said that such measures could provide a source of water for industrial areas, including the Peenya Industrial Area. This approach, he argued, would not only ease the demand on the City’s drinking water but also create additional revenue streams for the government.

Earlier this year, amid a severe water crisis in March, the State government permitted the commercial sale of treated water from local Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in residential complexes and gated communities. This measure, enacted by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), allowed communities to sell 50 percent of their treated STP water for commercial purposes. -Salar News