Water crisis hits Bengaluru: Tanker spotted at CM Siddaramaiah's office

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has issued a warning to water tanker owners across the state, stating that their tankers will be seized if they do not register with the authorities by March 7

With rising temperatures, Bengaluru's water crisis seems to have worsened, prompting residents, including Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, to rely on tankers for their daily necessities. On Wednesday, a tanker was spotted entering the CM's office, highlighting the severity of the crisis.

Residents, particularly in East Bengaluru, are suffering due to a scarcity of water, which is aggravated by the depletion of groundwater levels and the impending peak summer season.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar recently revealed that over 3,000 borewells, including his own, have dried up. Bengaluru has not received adequate rainfall during the monsoon season, forcing residents to bear the brunt of the crisis and pay exorbitant fees of up to Rs 2,500 to private water tanker operators for around 6000 litres of water.

Shivakumar further issued a warning to water tanker owners across the state that their tankers will be seized if they do not register with the authorities by the March 7 deadline.

Addressing a press conference at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office in Bengaluru, he said, "Of the total 3,500 water tankers in Bengaluru city, only 10 per cent, that is, 219 tankers, have registered with the authorities. The government will seize them if they don't register before the deadline."

"Water is not the property of any individual but is a resource that belongs to the government. The government has the right to take control of water sources," he said.

"Private water tankers charge somewhere between Rs 500 and Rs 2,000," he said, adding that "we will talk to the association and fix a standard price."

"Of the 16,781 borewells in our records, 6,997 borewells have dried up. The remaining 7,784 borewells are operational. The government will be drilling new borewells," he noted.

Shivakumar also announced that the state government has set aside Rs 556 crore to address the water crisis in Bengaluru.

"Each MLA of Bengaluru city has been given Rs 10 crore to address water shortages in their respective constituencies. Besides, BBMP has earmarked Rs 148 crore and BWSSB Rs 128 crore to address the issue," said Shivakumar.

He also informed me that a war room had been set up to monitor the situation in real-time.

"Senior officials and I will personally monitor the situation on a daily basis. It is the responsibility of the government to provide drinking water to the citizens. There is no need to be worried," he added.

The Deputy Chief Minister also announced that empty milk tankers of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) will be used to store water in Bengaluru.

"We have decided to use milk tankers which are not in use to supply water. We will use tankers that are empty; clean them and use them."