Water crisis looms large over city this summer too

Water crisis looms large over city this summer too

Tankers may quench a bit of thirst only in critical areas as supply is limited

DNA Bureau. Bangalore



The newly elected corporators, whose names will be known on Monday, will have a tough task on hand after they assume office. They will face the wrath of people if they don't take steps to avert the water crisis looming large in Bangalore. The problem will be more acute in the newly added areas of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
There is no solution on the horizon but the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has drawn up a contingency plan to mitigate the problem and ensure equitable distribution of water.
Detailing the plan for the summer, a senior BWSSB official stated that tankers would be used to supply water to the areas where the problem was critical. The assurance of water supply, however, comes with a rider: "only to critical areas".
"We cannot supply tanker water to all the areas as the available quantity is limited," he clarified.
Even this supply will depend on the tankers available with the BWSSB as the private players are yet to be involved. "After the code of conduct (till Monday) is relaxed, tenders will be called to supply water through tankers. Private players can participate in the bid," he said, adding that junior engineers have been assigned to identify critical areas where borewells have dried up.
Besides, the BWSSB official said that the engineers have been asked to attend to consumers' complaints from 6 am to 8 am during summer. "They will be stationed at the service stations during the morning to attend to the problems of consumers," the official said.
BWSSB minister Katta Subramanya Naidu has also instructed that tankers be kept ready to supply water to the affected areas as and when required. The minister also instructed the board officials to inspect and repair the pipes connected to faulty borewells.
Bangalore faces a shortage of 410 mld (milling litres daily). The demand is 1,219 mld and the city is getting a supply of only 870 mld of water.