Palike as a supplier

Water supply is no more a prerogative of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike after the formation of Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

However, the Palike has donned the role of water supplier in many areas of the City as corporators and ward engineers face the public ire in the event of supply going haywire.

“We have allocated Rs 25 lakh for each ward this year to ensure water supply in the areas prone to water shortage. Our engineers dig borewells, hire tankers and supply water, said S S Khandre, Public Relation Officer, BBMP.

The short-term measure has led to a larger problem in the City. In Chandapura on Hosur Road, borewells go as deep as 800 to 1,000 feet for water and yet there is no guarantee of finding water. It is neither feasible to go too deep to extract water for the fear of contamination by harmful chemicals. The area now yields water with high fluoride content.

Stormwater drains and the interlinked water bodies could offer a solution to the problem but the Palike is not keen to explore them. Most lakes in the City are in a shambles due to the encroachment or discharge of sewage. Most of the polluted water bodies have either died down or are on the verge of extinction.