BWSSB fails to deliver water supply to 29 villages

Contrary to the BWSSB’s claim that it will supply Cauvery water to 29 villages of the total 110 villages, only a few pockets enjoy uninterrupted water supply.

The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) had issued three notifications in this regard. The first, dated June 7, 2018, said the Board had decided to supply water to seven villages by the first week of March 2018. The villages were Ganakallu, Uttarahalli, Thubarahalli, Siddapura, Chikkabettahalli, Begur and Haraluru.

However, the concerned engineer for the villages said the Board has only started the supply in pockets of Vallabhanagar in Uttarahalli and Sonnenahalli while preparing for supply in Ganakallu. The engineer further said that unless the ground level reservoirs at Sompura, Lingadeeranahalli and Gottigere are complete, it may not be possible to supply water to all the villages.

Similarly, the BWSSB issued another notification on November 13, 2018, announcing water supply to 12 villages namely Abbigere, Medarahalli, Shettihalli, Hemmigepura, Uttarahalli, Rachenahalli, Ramagondanahalli, Yelachenahalli, Doddakallasandra, Raghuvanahalli, Gollahalli and Tippasandra. However, in these villages too only house-service connections have been laid. The feeder main lines and ground level reservoirs are still under construction.

The concerned engineer said, May 2018 was the deadline fixed by the BWSSB to complete laying the pipelines, but it may not be able to finish it on time. The engineer added that they were trying to utilise the existing pipelines laid by the previous municipal councils, but it will take time for the actual supply to be commissioned.

On January 17, 2019, BWSSB issued the third notification on the water supply to 10 additional villages -- Herohalli, Vallabhanagar, Sonnenahalli, Horamavu, Siddapura, Dasarahalli, Chelkere, Kudlu, Naganathapura and Parappana Agrahara.

In some pockets the pipeline work is completed, but the water supply will be taken up in a phased manner, an engineer said. According to the engineer, only after the Cauvery Stage V supply is commissioned, water can be supplied to all the villages. As of now, these villages will have to depend on existing supply lines and water that is saved from leakages.

Unless feeder lines, proposed overhead tanks and ground-level reservoirs are completed, it very unlikely these villages will be supplied water anytime soon.