Mahadevapura residents hit by water shortage

Summer is synonymous with water scarcity. Mahadevapura is already seems to be in the thick of it, though summer has just set in.

Being the biggest tech corridor in the city has made the area highly vulnerable. And there is no better illustration of this than a startling statistic: Over 70% of the population in the zone depend on water tankers, according a citizen survey conducted on Facebook. The survey shows that 25% of people do not have borewells and only 5% have adequate Cauvery water supply.

Residents said that supply of Cauvery water had been reduced over the past few days, leading to high dependence on water tankers. But the situation is good news for water tanker mafia, which is cashing in on the situation by charging exorbitant rates.

“We are facing a severe crisis in Bellandur. Only 55% of our water needs are being met here. This week, Cauvery water has reduced drastically and now tankers are blackmailing us and not supplying water. Besides, they are demanding more money,” a resident said.

Another resident alleged that the BWSSB and the water tankers were hand in glove. “There are Cauvery lines everywhere, but no water has been released by the municipality yet. Looks like the BWSSB and water tanker suppliers are hand in glove. We are not even getting 10 litres per day per family despite paying a lot to get Cauvery connection,” said Prasad Kumar, a Whitefield resident.

The residents said borewells along the kaluve on the north side were dry as Varthur lake water was flowing out more in the south weir. The borewell valve handlers addressed this issue with the ward committee members during the last committee meeting.

Local MLA Aravind Limbavali had demanded more funds to solve drinking water problems in his constituency at the Belagavi Session, as the Rs 25 lakhs announced by the government was not sufficient.

Officials said they were doing their best to solve the problem. “We have been digging borewells wherever necessary with funds released by the government. Despite this, sometimes there is a shortage of water during summers. It is also the responsibility of the BWSSB to complete the Cauvery water supply connections in all 110 villages in the city,” said R L Parameshwaraiah Chief Engineer, Mahadevapura.