Karnataka govt to take over private water tankers in Bengaluru: D K Shivakumar

Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on March 2 said that private water tankers in Bengaluru will be taken over by the state government in view of severe water shortage in the city.

Speaking to reporters at his Sadashivanagar residence, he said, "There is a massive water shortage in Bengaluru. Officials of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and BBMP are holding meetings on a daily basis to come up with solutions."

Also, read: First floods, now dry days: Decoding tech hub Bengaluru's water woes

"We have instructed all water tankers in Bengaluru to register before March 7 as water suppliers are fleecing customers. We have called for a meeting on March 4 to discuss tackling drinking water issue in Bengaluru. A grant of Rs 10 crore has been given to each assembly constituency to address drinking water issues." he said.

Bengaluru is grappling with one of its worst water crises even before the peak of summer. BWSSB says the situation is manageable in core areas but critical in the city's outer areas, especially near tech corridors where there is no piped supply of water from the Cauvery river.

As the groundwater table depletes and borewells run dry, apartment complexes, slum settlements, and commercial establishments in the 110 villages added to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in 2008 are the worst affected. Despite apartment complexes being willing to pay, private tankers claim they are unable to cope with the demand. The cost of private tanker water, usually Rs 400-600, has now risen to Rs 800-2,000 for a 12,000-litre tanker. Suppliers argue that the higher charges are tied to the need to source water from far-flung areas as the drinking water sources within city limits have dried up.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath said the state government has mandated the registration of water tankers in the city by March 7. "Vehicles unregistered after March 7 will be seized by the civic body and used to supply water to dry areas in 110 villages free of cost. We will also be fixing the maximum price for water tankers," he said.

Noting that the state government had declared three taluks of Bengaluru Urban district as drought-hit, Nath explained that it has special powers under The Disaster Management Act, 2005, which would be invoked to take stringent action.

Currently, there are around 3,500 tankers in the city, but only around 60 have obtained a licence from the corporation.