BENGALURU: The state government on Monday submitted to the Karnataka High Court a copy of the details/aspects that the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will look into during its proposed 18-month study of the KC Valley project.
The institute stated that the proposed study needed to assess the long-term environmental impact of the project considering that this was the first time in India that such a large-scale effort had been taken up and attempts were being made to replicate it in neighbouring states.
The IISc will carry out Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and water quality impact for the treated waste water from KC Valley being used for indirect recharge of 126 irrigation tanks in Kolar district.
An EIA is generally predictive and is carried out prior to the start of a project. As the project has already started, the EIA will be strengthened using data from the field rather than being based on assumed scenarios.
The IISc further said a review committee of eminent scientists in waste water treatment and resource persons from institutes of eminence such as IITs and NEERI will be formed to apprise them about the project outcome. The copy of the study was placed before a division bench of Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice Pradeep Singh Yerur during hearing of PIL filed by social worker Anjaneya Reddy questioning the KC Valley project.
Study focus on
Allegations that using treated water to recharge the tanks will impact the environment and tanks’ long-time health
Water quality and potential, impact on aquatic life, flora and fauna
Dispersion of treated water droplets into air at transfer points and possible air quality, groundwater quality and its ability to remain fresh and usable for long periods
Effect on soil agro-ecology/crop ecosystem when waste water is used directly for irrigation, or from borewells charged with treated water, including the quality/safety of agro products raised
Long-term impact on public health from human contact, use of indirectly recharged water in agriculture, exposure to components of waste water as well as issues arising from its secondary uses