Trouble for K'taka Over 'Discharging' Sewage into Cauvery?

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government is likely to move the Supreme Court seeking directives to restrain Karnataka from discharging sewage into Cauvery river. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa chaired a high-level meeting on this issue on June 2 at the Secretariat.

Following reports that Karnataka was discharging sewage into Cauvery river, leaders of various political parties condemned Karnataka and urged the state government to take steps to check this.

A Chennai-based advocate recently filed a PIL in this regard before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Southern Bench. The NGT has admitted the case and issued notices to all the 21 respondents, including the Central, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka governments. The NGT has directed the respondents to file counter affidavits during the next hearing on July 28.

The petitioner, K Sudhan, had contended that due to the untreated sewage being let into Cauvery river by Karnataka, the river water entering Tamil Nadu carried impurities and The Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board was forced to supply the same water to Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri districts through the Hogenakkal Integrated Drinking Water Project.