<p>Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said drying up of borewells has triggered the prevailing water crisis in the city and the government has taken steps to address the situation.</p>.<p>He told the media that 6,900 of the 13,900 borewells in the city have dried up. “Even today, no water shortage is observed in areas receiving Cauvery water,” he said. “But areas without Cauvery water supply depend heavily on borewells. The crisis has been triggered since many of those borewells have dried up.”</p>.<p><strong>'No water to Tamil Nadu’</strong></p>.<p>Shivakumar admitted that the state is witnessing its worst drought in 30 years.</p>.B'luru water crisis: Demand for packaged water soars .<p>He rejected claims that water is being released to Tamil Nadu from the KRS reservoir. Instead, water from KRS is being released to the Shiva reservoir to facilitate water supply to the city, he added.</p>.<p>“Why would we release water when Tamil Nadu is not even asking for it? We had to release water since it was important to pump water to Bengaluru,” he said.</p>.<p>Alluding to the steps the government has taken to ensure water security in the city, Shivakumar said they have ended the water tanker mafia and ensured water is available at a reasonable price.</p>.<p>“We have taken control of more than 1,400 tankers registered with us. We have given enough funds to the corporation to dig new borewells and rejuvenate the dry ones. We are also supplying water for free to slums and the poor,” he said, adding that the Mekedatu project is crucial to ensure <br>Bengaluru’s water security.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday said drying up of borewells has triggered the prevailing water crisis in the city and the government has taken steps to address the situation.</p>.<p>He told the media that 6,900 of the 13,900 borewells in the city have dried up. “Even today, no water shortage is observed in areas receiving Cauvery water,” he said. “But areas without Cauvery water supply depend heavily on borewells. The crisis has been triggered since many of those borewells have dried up.”</p>.<p><strong>'No water to Tamil Nadu’</strong></p>.<p>Shivakumar admitted that the state is witnessing its worst drought in 30 years.</p>.B'luru water crisis: Demand for packaged water soars .<p>He rejected claims that water is being released to Tamil Nadu from the KRS reservoir. Instead, water from KRS is being released to the Shiva reservoir to facilitate water supply to the city, he added.</p>.<p>“Why would we release water when Tamil Nadu is not even asking for it? We had to release water since it was important to pump water to Bengaluru,” he said.</p>.<p>Alluding to the steps the government has taken to ensure water security in the city, Shivakumar said they have ended the water tanker mafia and ensured water is available at a reasonable price.</p>.<p>“We have taken control of more than 1,400 tankers registered with us. We have given enough funds to the corporation to dig new borewells and rejuvenate the dry ones. We are also supplying water for free to slums and the poor,” he said, adding that the Mekedatu project is crucial to ensure <br>Bengaluru’s water security.</p>
