‘Complete rejuvenation of Malaprabha in 24 months’

Belagavi: The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has instructed the state government to complete the rejuvenation work of Malaprabha River on the outskirts of Ramdurg town within 24 months.
The instructions came on March 14 following the pressure of high-court of Karnataka due to delay in completing the work.

Dr Poornima Gouroji of Ramdurg, an activist, had filed a public interest litigation in the High Court in 2003 seeking the protection of Malaprabha river and supply of potable water to the villages in Ramdurg taluk. Recently, the court took KSPCB to task for the delay in completing the work. Later on March 14 the board set the deadline to the state government.

Dr Gouroji has been involved in the legal battle to protect the Malaprabha for 16 years. She wants the river to be developed on the lines of the Sabaramati in Gujarat. During the recent hearing, the government has given an undertaking to the court about rejuvenating the river and supplying potable water to the people of Ramdurg taluk.

The PIL has made the high court apply pressure on the state government to take up several works including establishment of a water purification plant at a cost of Rs 5 crore in Ramdurg to supply potable water, laying of pipelines from Naviluteerth dam to Ramdurg at a cost of Rs 68.76 crore and setting up an underground drainage network in Ramdurg by spending Rs 19 crore.

The government also took up river rejuvenation work at a cost of Rs 7 crore on the outskirts of Ramdurg. However, Dr Gouroji lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta alleging sub-standard quality of work. The Lokayukta is still conducting an inquiry.

KSPCB has now estimated the cost of the complete rejuvenation of the Malaprabha to be Rs 97.25 crore and has asked the government to finish the work in the next two years.

The Malaprabha, which originates in the Western Ghats near Kanakumbi in Khanapur flows through Savadatti, Ramdurg, Badami in Gadag district and joins the Krishna river in Kudala Sangama in Bagalkot district. Dr Gouroji told STOI that the entire 172-km stretch of the Malaprabha should be rejuvenated and encroachments must be cleared. She alleged that despite the court order, the government was not taking cleanliness of the river seriously.