Water crisis in neighbouring areas

Water crisis in neighbouring areas
By S Lalitha, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Barring three connections, the dedicated water pipeline that supplies one million litres per day (MLD) of potable water to the Bengaluru International Airport has been strictly earmarked to cater to the needs of the new airport...


But for drinking water supply through tankers, the stretch from Yelahanka to Devanahalli, which falls outside BBMP limits, is facing water scarcity.

The pipeline that runs from GKVK reservoir to Devanahalli crosses Yehalanka, BSF and the National Highway before touching the airport. The fact that the new airport has started functioning has made educationists, real estate developers and the common man evince keen interest in opting for constructions in the vicinity. “What most of them do not realise is that there is no water supply presently nor planned in the future to cater to the water requirements in these areas,” said BWSSB sources.

The government has decided to provide only two connections to the BSF and one to the police training school as they were prior commitments, they said. “The pipeline was commissioned in January and is designed to transport up to 9 MLD of water, bearing in mind the future requirements of the airport. However, the present water position in the City will not permit the supply of that quantity.”

Another pipeline supplies one MLD of non-potable water to the airport. “There are no plans, atleast within the next five years, to install any other separate pipeline to cater to the water requirements,” a top official said.

There are no rivers or water bodies around and the groundwater level is depleting. “We are really worried about the serious water crisis that would affect those who settle down in the surrounding areas without understanding the ground realities,” he added. Meanwhile, the BWSSB keeps rejecting calls from various quarters asking for water to be diverted from the pipeline.