and senior officials say resolving the fluoride problem is tough due to lack of surface water. While action plans to increase surface water have been set in motion, a majority of water sources have been stuck in either litigation or other administrative crises. Currently, the government has already embarked on providing surface water for Pavagada taluk.

“One major decision taken by the state government to lower fluoride content is to provide water from the KC Valley project, which distils used water and recharges groundwater, thereby bringing fluoride content within permissible limits,” said LK Atheeq, RDPR principal secretary. “However, wit la PIL pending in the Supreme Court, the project has come to a standstill.”

The ambitious Jaladhare project envisages providing surface water from perennial water sources to all villages in the state at a cost of Rs 53,000 crore. In the coming months, the state government intends to roll out the Jaladhare scheme in Chitradurga district. However, the big question is what will the government do when water levels drop in dams across the state? “Of course, when there is no water available in dams or enough flow in perennial streams, we cannot supply water,” said an official from the department.

*Original article online at https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/fluoride-contaminated-water-most-water-projects-stuck-in-court-or-administration-crises/articleshow/68249406.cms

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