BENGALURU: Bengaluru Navanirmana Party has said that sewage water has been diverted into farms since real estate owners are dumping construction debris at night in the Vrishabhavathi river. In a press note, they said that small farmers who own lands alongside the river have lost almost an acre due to sewage water. Complaints to officials at different levels have gone unheeded, they said.
“Around 30 to 40 coconut trees have been washed away. The land has lost its fertility due to contamination. The illegal dumping has reduced the width of the actual flow area,” the statement read, adding that the issue has been brought to the notice of district commissioner, sub-divisional officers, tahsildar, Lokayukta, sub-tahsildar officer at Kengeri, officers of Revenue department in Hemmigepura, president of Kumbalgodu Gram Panchayat, K Gollahalli, and farmer leaders of Kengeri Hobli.
“None of these officials have considered this seriously. Instead, complainants were threatened. Farmers allege that the revenue office has not moved the complaint to the tahsildar office,” the party said.