MYSURU: Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) Chairman and MLA PM Narendra Swamy on Monday expressed concern that Cauvery and Kapila rivers, the lifeline of Mysuru and Bengaluru, are increasingly getting polluted because of discharge of untreated waste water, including industrial effluent and household sewage, into these water bodies.
At the golden jubilee celebrations of KSPCB at Maharaja’s College Grounds here on Monday, he said the board has submitted a technical report to the Mysuru district administration and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), recommending urgent measures to prevent pollution of rivers.
“Both Cauvery and Kapila are vital to Mysuru and Bengaluru, but sadly, both have become polluted. The KSPCB has set up several water-monitoring stations to track river water quality. The district administration and MCC must take responsibility and initiate action to prevent further contamination,” he said.
According to the KSPCB report, untreated sewage, industrial waste and UGD water are being directly released into the rivers without proper treatment at Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) set up by the board.
Swamy said that protecting rivers is not only the duty of local authorities, but also a shared responsibility of citizens. “Every individual must contribute. People should begin by segregating waste at source,” he said, adding that nearly two lakh small pieces of milk packet covers enter the soil every day in Mysuru. “Every household buys milk daily, and when we cut open the packet, that small plastic piece ends up in the soil, posing a threat to the environment. Citizens and organisations must cooperate with the administration to make Mysuru the cleanest city in the country again,” he urged.
He also raised concern over coffee estates in Kodagu discharging wastewater into rivers.
‘Untreated effluents pollute rivers’
“There are 682 coffee plantations in Kodagu district. Many that use wet processing methods are releasing untreated waste into rivers, causing severe water pollution,” he noted.
He said, “Forgetting our environment is like forgetting our future. Clean air and water are essential for human life, yet we remain indifferent to pollution. The best contribution we can make to future generations is ensuring the quality of our environment.”
He recalled former prime minister Indira Gandhi’s vision for environmental protection, citing key legislation introduced during her tenure -- the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and Forest Conservation Act, 1973. He also mentioned the National Environmental Protection Act introduced by Rajiv Gandhi and setting up of the National Green Tribunal in 2011 under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership.
“These visionary steps have safeguarded India’s environment. On November 19, Indira Gandhi’s birth anniversary, a state-level convention will be held in Bengaluru, which will be attended by opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi,” he said.
