The truant monsoon has several areas in the newly added zones under Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP’s) jurisdiction reeling under water shortage. To redress the problems pertaining to water scarcity and underground drainage in their areas, councillors from Bommanahalli and Dasarahalli zones met officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) here on Wednesday.
Range of issues
Lack of Cauvery water supply, poor borewell maintenance, dysfunctional borewells, water leakage and improper restoration of roads dug up to lay underground drainage lines were the issues that figured in the meeting.
BWSSB Chairperson Gaurav Gupta, Engineer-in-Chief T. Venkataraju heard the grievances.
Demanding that BWSSB’s free tanker water supply to their areas be continued till the city received adequate rain, most councillors wanted the board to ensure Cauvery water supply to their areas.
Water leakage
Explaining his ward’s problems, B.S. Manjunatha Reddy (Bommmanahalli ward) pointed out that pipelines along several stretches in his area had been damaged after the roads were dug up to lay new underground drainage lines. “The restoration has not been done properly and this has resulted in water leakage. That apart, of the 80 borewells, only 15 are functional. The borewell maintenance contractors say that they cannot take up work as BWSSB has not cleared their bills,” Mr. Reddy told The Hindu after the meeting.
Latha Narasimhamurthy (HSR Layout) said that the situation was same in her ward too. “Of the 48 borewells, only 15 are functional. We have asked for regular Cauvery water supply to all areas and the officials have promised to start supply by August-end,” she said.
Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy, Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy and former Mayor Sharadamma were present. The Mayor advised the councillors to utilise the opportunity properly and get their problems redressed.
Contaminated water
Councillors representing Dasarahalli Zone pointed out that the borewell water in most of the wards was contaminated.
This was affecting the health of several residents, they said and demanded Cauvery water instead.
“We have assured them of supply from August-end when the Cauvery IV Stage II Phase will be commissioned. This will enable supply of an additional 500 million litres of water per day (mld) to the city,” Mr. Venkataraju said.
He admitted that the 900 mld of the available Cauvery water was not enough to meet the city’s requirements.
