Multiple water tankers with the same number plates were spotted by residents of Whitefield recently. In other parts of the city, there have been reports of tankers without a number plate. This comes as no surprise as free water is the preferred freebie of choice, and this election season is no different.
MLA candidates, especially those on the outskirts of the city where residents do not have access to Cauvery water supply, are finding various ways to hoodwink election officials and provide tankers in certain pockets.
Residents and water tanker owners from Varthur, Kannahalli-Seegehalli, Hemmigepura, Bommanahalli, Kogilu and Bagalur have reported distribution of free water by local politicians and councillors on behalf of MLA aspirants and incumbent MLAs.
“Earlier, councillors openly supplied water for free with their tankers, which has stopped because of the code of conduct. Instead they are paying commercial operators like us to deliver water for free on their behalf and this has kept the business going,” said a water tanker operator near Kanakapura Road.
Supply of free water tankers had peaked during the 2015 BBMP elections. It was a drought year and even the core city was plagued by water shortage. “But last year, we had good rains, which improved supply in the core areas. The water level in borewells has gone up. So, there is not much demand for water tankers except in certain pockets,” the operator added.
So far, business has been good with steady demand from political aspirants. The price range of water tankers has remained relatively stable this summer. A tanker with a 7,000 litre capacity costs an average of ₹650 while that of 10,000 litres costs ₹1,000. Last year this time, the prices were ₹800 and ₹1,200, respectively.
Chennappa, a resident of Kannahalli said at least three councillors, from both BJP and Congress, were distributing free water in pockets not serviced by piped water.
Jagadish Reddy, Varthur Rising, said that many local politicians had even bought new tanker vehicles to supply water. “Water tankers are servicing Gunjur, Panathur, parts of Varthur, Nagondanahalli and Nallurahalli, for free. Aspirants from all parties do it,” he said.
Zahid Jawali, a resident and editor of a local magazine in HSR Layout, said both the MLA and the aspirant from the Congress run water tankers to supply water to slum pockets unserviced by piped water. “This is the one of the important instruments through which they have built a loyal vote base in these pockets,” he said.
