Mounesh Vishwakarma
Daijiworld Media Network – Bantwal
Bantwal, April 5: In a concerning environmental development, polluted water, along with waste from houses, hotels, and butcher shops, is flowing directly into the Netravati river in Bantwal, posing a serious threat to both the river’s health and the surrounding ecosystem.
In response, a team led by Dr Manju R, assistant regional officer of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), conducted an urgent inspection on Friday to assess the situation and collect water samples for testing.
Accompanied by assistant Sunil Kumar, Municipal engineer Dominic D'Mello, and health inspector Ratnaprasad, Dr Manju visited several key locations along the riverbanks in Bantwal, Panemangalore, and B C Road.
The team’s focus was on areas where wastewater, contaminated with waste materials, was observed flowing directly into the Netravati river.
The inspection revealed that in as many as 12 different locations within the Bantwal municipal limits, untreated waste and polluted water were being discharged straight into the river.
The team specifically visited six of these hotspots, taking water samples and documenting the violations in the form of official records.
Among the key locations inspected were the rear of the butcher shops in Baddakatte, Perlia area on B C Road, Mafat Lal, Aradhya Layout, Bastipadpu, Kanchikarpete, and parts of Panemangalore.
The alarming findings have raised serious concerns regarding the rapid pollution of the Netravati river, which is a vital water source for the district.
Local authorities have been urged to take swift action to prevent further contamination and protect public health. The water samples collected will be tested, and further measures will be taken based on the results.
As of now, the testing reports are awaited, and officials have confirmed that they will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Local environmentalists have also voiced their concerns, calling for immediate intervention to address the growing issue of untreated waste entering the river.
Authorities are expected to act on the findings of the investigation, with penalties and corrective measures likely to follow if the water quality tests confirm the presence of harmful pollutants.