Dry taps: Skirting the outskirts...

Dry taps: Skirting the outskirts...
Water-starved citizens of Bangalore are having a tough time on Ugadi eve.
Deccan Herald

Yuga Yugadi kaledaru, water problem marali barutide...This is how water-starved citizens of Bangalore are belting out this popular number on the eve of Ugadi festival -- of course, in sheer frustration.

Every summer, acute scarcity of water haunt many Bangaloreans. This year, too, the problem is severe. And citizens are having a tough time on Ugadi eve, which is ironically the time to celebrate the new year.

Water scarcity is not confined to previous municipality areas alone. With Thippagondana Halli reservoir, a main source of drinking water to many parts of the City, turning dry, most areas in north and west Bangalore are badly hit, reports DHNS.

Take Gayatrinagar in Rajajinagar. Not a single drop of water has trickled in from taps for the last one month. People here have to collect water from public taps, standing in queues for hours on end. Residents are so upset that they, mostly women, took to streets on Sunday and staged a dharna on the main road.

Long rows of women and children with plastic pots is a common scene near public taps in almost all of the western part. The worst-hit areas are Mohammedan Block, Srirampura, Mathikere, Kalamanagar, Manjunathnagar, K H B Colony and others.

Despite BWSSB’s official announcement that TG Halli reservoir has dried up, no alternative step has been taken yet, the people say.



Low pressure

Why has water become scarce all of a sudden? Apart from the fall of the water level at TG Halli reservoir, there is low pressure in the supply system. BWSSB has not been able to maintain the supply pressure due to frequent power shutdowns. Besides, the power disruption has affected pumping of water from the Cauvery source, BWSSB Chief Engineer Venkataraju told Deccan Herald.

Though they are merged with the newly formed Bruhat Bangalore, citizens on City outskirts continue to be neglected. They neither have the Cauvery water supply nor the tanker supply that erstwhile municipal bodies used to provide. Many borewells, the only source of water, are becoming dry.

One reasons for borewells getting dry is the mushrooming of apartment complexes. Every residential apartment complex on the outskirts has more than 10 borewells connected to high-capacity pumps. As a result, borewells in the surrounding houses are left with no water, officials explained.

According to local citizens, while BWSSB has no jurisdiction over old municipality areas, the local bodies have shunned the responsibility to provide water ever since the formation of BBMP.

Legislators feel the heat

“People hold me responsible. There are instances when angry have people manhandled me. I am fed up pleading with BWSSB officials to solve the problem. On the eve of the festival, the pressure to solve is mounting. I will stage a dharna in front of the Chief Minister’s residence if the problem is not fixed.”

— N L Narendra Babu, Rajajinagar (who staged a rasta roko at Gayatrinagar with locals on Sunday)

“People are facing acute scarcity of water. I go out every night to monitor the situation. I am planning a protest to demand efficient water supply.”

— Dinesh Gundu Rao, Gandhinagar.

“The water problem in many areas will definitely become worse in the coming days. The only alternative is tanker supply of water. BWSSB should immediately identify affected areas and press tankers into service.”

— V Somanna, Binnypet

“Areas like Cox Town, Indiranagar, Lakshmipura and surrounding areas are most affected. Officials say there is shortage in supply of bulk water so there is scarcity. I am doing my bit to reach tanker supplies in these areas.”

— Nirmal Kumar Surana,Bharathinagar

Residents’ ire at MLAs, officials

“How come there is no water here while all other areas have? There is water in the MLA’s house and water board officials’ houses, but not in our’s.”

— Lakkamma, residentof Gayatrinagar.

“I have hardly slept in the last one month. I am not a machine to heave water all through the day...Let him (MLA) come seeking vote the next time, we will teach him a lesson.”

— Mallamma, a resident of Mathikere.

“Officials are callous and corrupt. They supply water only if there are bribed. They make good money during scarcity”

— Savitri, of Shivanahalli.

"BWSSB is concerned only about supplying water to posh localities. Are we not citizens? Are we not paying monthly bills? Whenever there was a crisis like this, BWSSB used to provide water, using tankers. But this summer, no such thing is to be seen”

— Shanta, of Sanjaynagar