Bengaluru water woes: Citizens in tech capital get innovative to tackle worst crisis
Bengaluru: Amid an unprecedented water crisis in Bengaluru, residents of the tech hub are resorting to various measures. These include exploring work-from-home (WFH) options, relocating for better water access, and adopting alternate-day bathing.
The challenges have escalated into a significant worry for Bengaluru residents, particularly those in areas like Whitefield, KR Puram, Electronic City, RR Nagar, Kengeri, and CV Raman Nagar. Even those in high-rise apartments with water harvesting facilities now rely on tankers for drinking water, facing strict usage restrictions. Additionally, eateries contemplate using disposable utensils to reduce water consumption.
Posters with slogans promoting water conservation have been put up in schools and building associations across Bengaluru. Educational institutions are also affected, with a coaching center shifting to online classes for a week due to an ‘emergency.’ Likewise, a school on Bannerghatta Road temporarily closed, transitioning to online learning reminiscent of the Covid pandemic.
People say they are forced to pay more for the tanker water, although the rates have been capped by the government.
With temperature rising, it is difficult to avoid a daily shower but they are left with no option but to take bath on alternative days, said Sujatha, also a resident of KR Puram.
Deficit rains last year is being blamed for people’s plight. Lakshmi V, an IT professional living in Singasandra, has been requesting her firm to allow WFH option so that she and her family can temporarily shift to her native place in Tamil Nadu until the situation becomes better.
Last week, it became a huge problem for her as even the water tanker suppliers weren’t taking the apartment manager’s call and it further led to commotion with residents struggling for water. This led to arguments with the building association.
Krishna, a software engineer living in KR Puram for the last few years said he has never faced such a water crisis. The apartment maintenance charge has gone up by Rs 1,000 due to dependence on water tankers. “I have started looking for a new house; might have to pay more rent but anything for better water supply,” he said.
Some malls in the city have also given access to employees of high end shops and buildings in the water affected areas to use their toilets in case of emergency, according to locals.
The government is taking a slew of measures to address the situation. Civic authorities have decided to fill up the drying lakes with 1,300 million litres per day of treated water to replenish groundwater sources in the city, where about 50 per cent of the borewells have dried up. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will also install filter borewells and construct water plants using an innovative technology near the restored lake beds to supply water after testing, the civic agency officials said.
