JOIN USThe Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has planned to commission the Cauvery Stage IV, Phase II, on October 31 and give a section of Bangaloreans with the gift of Cauvery water on Rajyotsava Day.
BWSSB Minister S Suresh Kumar said on Thursday that the chief minister has already given his consent to launch the water supply from Jambusavari Gudda on October 31, and water will flow to the newly laid household connections on November 1.
The residents hope their seven-month wait for Cauvery water will end if the BWSSB keeps its date. Several residents have already applied for new connections.
“As per procedure, plumbers have to visit houses to enable the new connections, but they have not come so far,” said Anjanappa, a member of the Ramamurthy residents’ welfare association.
The Karnataka government wanted to completely play down the commissioning of the water project to Bangalore due to the ongoing agitation against release of water to Tamil Nadu.
Farmers from the districts in the Cauvery basin were unhappy with Bangaloreans for not actively participating in the protest. A few farmers, along with the gram panchayat members, even obstructed the supply of Cauvery water to the City by switching off the motors in Thorekadanahalli for nearly 30 minutes on October 2.
A few corporators participated in the agitation during the Karnataka bandh, expressing their solidarity with the farmers. According to BWSSB officials, Cauvery water from the new project has already reached the City reservoirs. The residents’ wait is likely to end on October 31 when the chief minister will officially inaugurates the project.