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Borewells dry up, thirsty villages around Bengaluru facing crisis

Situation may worsen if it doesn't rain in the next 15-20 days
Last Updated 04 May 2016, 20:58 IST

 An acute water crisis is staring at 89 villages in the Bengaluru Urban and Bengaluru Rural districts and the problem may aggravate if there are no rains in the next 15 to 20 days.

This is despite Bengaluru receiving 30% more than the average rainfall. The average rainfall of Bengaluru is 980 mm whereas the total rain received from January 2015 to December 2015 was 1,280 mm. Rural Bengaluru alone received 36% more rain than the average.

Against the normal rain of 809.2 mm, 1,102.6 mm rain was recorded from January to December 2015.

A survey conducted by the authorities of the two districts says that 39 villages in Bengaluru Urban district and 50 in the rural district are facing water scarcity.

The crisis is severe in Anekal taluk of Urban district where 26 villages are solely dependent on water tankers as many borewells have dried up due to a drastic drop in the groundwater table.

The Assistant Commissioner of Bengaluru South sub-division, L C Nagaraj said, “At present, we are supplying water through tankers.

“The main source is groundwater. We may have a severe crisis if there are no rains in the next 15 to 20 days. We are praying for rains.”

In Anekal taluk, the worst affected villages are Thammanayakanahalli, Yaduvanahalli, Neraga-Sarjapur hobli, Attibele, Bommasandra and Jigani.

On an average, the Urban district authorities are spending Rs 36,000 a day on supplying water through tankers.

In the rural district, 21 villages in Devanahalli, 14 villages in Hoskote and 11 villages in Nelamangala are the worst affected.

Deputy commissioner of Bengaluru rural district S Palaiah said, “We are supplying water through tankers. While 21 of our tankers are at work at Devanahalli, we have hired private tankers too in the remaining three taluks of Doddaballapur, Nelamangala and Hoskote. In all, we are operating 50 water tankers.”

The Rural district has earmarked about Rs 5 crore for water supply, digging new borewells and improving water sources this season.

Vanishing lakes

The water scarcity in Bengaluru underscores the findings of a recent survey by the district authorities which reveals that there are a mere 20-30 lakes of the 1,600 which once existed in Bengaluru Urban district alone. Under pressure from various quarters, the district authorities carried out a survey based on revenue records. The survey reveals that most lakes have dried up, turned into cesspools and have been encroached upon, resulting in a man-made water crisis in Bengaluru. The water table has depleted and the groundwater quality has deteriorated drastically, the survey shows.


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(Published 04 May 2016, 20:58 IST)

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