<p>Noting that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) was spending more and earning less, Dr A Ravindra, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Urban Affairs, said setting up of a water regulatory authority could fix the problem.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking at a workshop on ‘Strengthening participatory approaches in urban water supply and sewerage in Karnataka’, on Thursday, he said there has been no hike in water tariff in the past few years. <br /><br />“A mismatch between water board’s expenditure and revenue necessitates regular hike in water tariff. The current water rates are likely to create a problem in the future,” he said.<br />On meeting the ever-growing demand for water in Bangalore, Ravindra discouraged dependence on Cauvery water alone to meet the drinking water needs.<br /><br />Conservation<br /><br />“People should be made aware of the importance of conserving water. If water conservation is not taken seriously, we are all in serious trouble. We will have to face a crisis akin to the current garbage menace,” he said.<br /><br />Ravindra said the Karnataka government had to implement the rainwater harvesting with renewed vigour.<br /><br />And for better compliance, he urged the State government to take stringent penal action against people who fail to instal rainwater harvesting system.<br /></p>
<p>Noting that the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) was spending more and earning less, Dr A Ravindra, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Urban Affairs, said setting up of a water regulatory authority could fix the problem.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Speaking at a workshop on ‘Strengthening participatory approaches in urban water supply and sewerage in Karnataka’, on Thursday, he said there has been no hike in water tariff in the past few years. <br /><br />“A mismatch between water board’s expenditure and revenue necessitates regular hike in water tariff. The current water rates are likely to create a problem in the future,” he said.<br />On meeting the ever-growing demand for water in Bangalore, Ravindra discouraged dependence on Cauvery water alone to meet the drinking water needs.<br /><br />Conservation<br /><br />“People should be made aware of the importance of conserving water. If water conservation is not taken seriously, we are all in serious trouble. We will have to face a crisis akin to the current garbage menace,” he said.<br /><br />Ravindra said the Karnataka government had to implement the rainwater harvesting with renewed vigour.<br /><br />And for better compliance, he urged the State government to take stringent penal action against people who fail to instal rainwater harvesting system.<br /></p>
