Kalaburagi Water Crisis Deepens as Sewage Treatment Lapses Raise Public Health Alarm

Kalaburagi: Residents of Kalaburagi are facing a severe civic crisis amid allegations that the city administration has failed to provide safe drinking water, forcing people to live in contaminated and unhygienic conditions. The situation has drawn sharp attention as it is unfolding in the home district of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, Karnataka’s RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge.

Locals allege that untreated sewage water is being discharged into the Bhima River, which eventually flows back into residential areas, posing a grave public health risk.

According to established protocols, sewage generated in Kalaburagi is required to be treated at the Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located at Nandikur village on the outskirts of the city before being released into the river. However, proper treatment is allegedly not being carried out.

Sources claim that the 60 million litres per day (MLD) STP is malfunctioning. Chlorination, a critical process used to eliminate colour, odour and harmful contaminants from sewage, is allegedly not being undertaken. In addition, most of the six aeration blowers installed at the plant, essential for effective sewage treatment, are reported to be non-functional.

Despite crores of rupees being spent on sewage infrastructure, the Kalaburagi City Corporation has allegedly failed to ensure effective treatment and maintenance of the facility. Questions have also been raised over the tendering and upkeep process, with sources alleging that the civic body did not award the sewage treatment contract to a Pune-based company, triggering concerns over accountability and long-term maintenance of the plant.

As a result, residents fear that untreated or inadequately treated sewage water is effectively finding its way back into households, either through water supply systems or groundwater contamination. Locals have expressed concern over foul-smelling and discoloured water, warning that continued lapses could lead to a major public health crisis.

The situation in Kalaburagi has revived memories of similar water contamination incidents reported earlier this year in Madhya Pradesh. In Indore, contamination of drinking water due to sewage mixing led to a major health tragedy, resulting in several deaths and hospitalisations. A separate incident was reported from Mhow, also in the Indore district, where a jaundice outbreak was linked to contaminated water supply, exposing serious gaps in sanitation and civic oversight.

Repeated failures in sewage treatment and water management can quickly escalate into outbreaks of water-borne diseases if not addressed promptly. People in Kalaburagi have demanded immediate intervention, including a technical audit of the STP, restoration of full treatment processes, and transparency in water quality monitoring.

So far, there has been no detailed response from the Kalaburagi City Corporation addressing the allegations regarding the malfunctioning STP, lack of chlorination, or discharge of untreated sewage into the Bhima River.

With public concern growing and comparisons being drawn with recent contamination-related crises in the country, residents are demanding urgent corrective action to prevent Kalaburagi from facing a similar health emergency.

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