Bengaluru:

Dire water shortages, flooding, gridlocked roads and poor civic facilities have become major issues in Bengaluru, residents in India’s tech hub said as they voted on Friday in the Lok Sabha elections.

The city of about 14 million people, often called “India’s Silicon Valley”, voted in the summer heat in the second phase of the world’s largest election, set to go on until June 1.

Bengaluru is home to thousands of startups and global firms from Walmart to Alphabet’s Google and is showcased as a symbol of an ambitious, rising India. But unplanned growth and creaking infrastructure is blotting the booming city.

“The water shortage is not a surprise for us, locals. We knew it’s coming. Nothing on rain water harvesting has been done by either the central or the state government,” Prasanna Raghavan, an IT professional said after casting his vote.

“My hope is, whoever comes to power prioritises climate issues.”

The city’s problems have featured prominently in the campaign, in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and the main opposition Congress – which governs Karnataka state – are pitted against each other.

“The Congress government in Karnataka has turned the tech city into a tanker city, and left it to the tanker mafia,” Modi said in Bengaluru last week, referring to the water tankers being used after taps dried up.

Congress blamed BJP, which ruled the state before Congress, for the water scarcity.

“The water crisis in Bangalore is not just a problem; it’s a wake-up call. As your MP (member of parliament), I see it as a challenge we must confront head-on,” Rajeev Gowda, Congress candidate from the Bengaluru North seat, posted on X this week.

“We should steer our infrastructure towards sustainable solutions. Water conservation isn’t just a short-term fix, it’s a long-term commitment,” he said.

Kkavya, 19, who uses only one name, moved to Bengaluru three years ago from Kashmir to study and find a job. She intends to flee the city next year when she finishes studying, fed up with its water shortages and traffic jams.

“So we say there’s no use for cars in (Bengaluru), because for one kilometre, you’re going to take 30 minutes, (so) just walk,” she said.

This year’s water shortage comes after widespread flooding in 2022 when drainage systems were unable to keep up, especially in low-lying areas, when heavy rains lashed the city.

“A total lack of planning while developing something”, is the biggest issue, said Musthafa K.P., 62, a retired IT consultant living in Bengaluru for 21 years.

“The city grows rapidly every year and there will be increased pressure on natural resources,” he said. “We need better technology solutions and we must start thinking about such solutions immediately.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A bird quenching the thirst as Ambadevanahalli lake dried up in Ambadevanahalli at Tumakuru District in Karnataka. Image used for representative purpose only.
| Photo Credit: K . BHAGYA PTAKASH

Professional franchise cricket team Royal Challengers Bengaluru has restored three lakes in Bengaluru, a city grappling with a severe water crisis.

RCB launched the Lake Improvement Works Project in October 2023 as part of the “RCB Go Green Initiative”. The project focused on desilting and developing the Ittgalpura and Sadenahalli lakes, located in highly water-stressed areas.

These areas lack access to Kaveri River water and rely entirely on groundwater and surface water with borewell depths ranging from 1,000 to 1,500 feet.

According to a statement, more than 1,20,000 tons of silt and sand have been removed from the two lakes and nine acres of lake land have been recovered, leading to the creation of stabilisation ponds and wetlands that benefit the local bird and animal populations.

The water holding capacity of the lakes has also increased to cover up to 17 acres, it said, adding that the lakes will not only facilitate groundwater recharge but also support agricultural activities in the surrounding areas.

They will provide additional livelihood opportunities for the fishermen and farmers of the two lakes, who can now harvest up to three times more than before, it said.

Meanwhile, at Kannur Lake, the objective has been to improve community ownership through the creation of civic amenities as lake assets.

Ethno-medicinal plant parks, bamboo parks, and butterfly parks are also being created at all three lakes as part of the initiative to improve and sustain biodiversity.

“These lakes not only serve as critical groundwater sources for neighbouring villages but also form the backbone of local livelihoods,” said Rajesh Menon, VP and Head of Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Experts say Bengaluru is one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and its infrastructure for fresh water supply is struggling to keep up with the growing population.

Over a third of the city’s 13 million residents rely on groundwater, which is rapidly depleting.

Bengaluru:

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday hit out at the Siddaramaiah government over the water crisis in Bengaluru and alleged that many irrigation and water-related projects and initiatives were halted by the Congress when it came to power in Karnataka last year.

She also criticised the Congress government for the deteriorating law and order in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister said it is very worrying and sad that the city suffers from water-related problems.

“Just water not being available is a problem. Since yesterday reports of unfortunately cholera possibly spreading in the town is also a very big concern…It is sort of a worry but I think it is also somewhat because people don’t have enough water available, contaminated water also reaches people and as a result they are put to difficulties,” she said.

Blaming the state government for halting irrigation and water-related projects, Ms Sitharaman said various steps that have been taken till recently or the initiatives which were halted by the current government in Karnataka also showed that there has been mismanagement in water-related areas.

She alleged that in May 2023, the Chief Minister halted tenders worth Rs 20,000 crore for projects including the Visveswaraya Jala Nigam Limited, Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited, Cauvery Neeravari Nigama Limited and Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Limited. She also wondered why the Central government’s ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’ was not being encouraged in the state.

“For a city like Bengaluru which is cosmopolitan and a global city, we have just hurt ourselves by these kinds of knee-jerk steps for whatever reasons the Karnataka government has taken,” she said.

“When pro-Pakistan slogans are raised in the Karnataka Assembly, there is implicit support which is being extended…It is a very big signal saying it’s alright we can do anything and get away with it,” Ms Sitharaman alleged.

She cited the Rameshwaram Cafe blast in Bengaluru and said: “While the NIA is constantly putting out reports that the search is intensified, incidents like raising of pro-Pakistan slogans in the assembly showed that a false sense of protection is being extended to people who perpetrate violence.”

Hitting out at state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao, she said, “Here is a responsible Minister belonging to that very same party which coined the word “Hindu terror” now revealing the identity of a witness. Will he protect him?”

Ms Sitharaman slammed the remarks by Congress MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa against BJP’s candidate for the Davanagare Lok Sabha seat Gayathri Siddheshwara and said, “Such words are absolutely unacceptable. Women and their dignity don’t matter to the Congress party.”

Me Shivashankarappa had recently courted controversy by passing an allegedly sexist remark about Ms Siddeshwara, saying that she is only “fit to cook”.

Responding to a question about the delay in drought relief funds, she explained that the Karnataka government had submitted a memorandum in October and the inter-ministerial central team had come here and conducted a spot assessment.

Seeking to defend the Centre, Ms Sitharaman said the release of drought relief has to go through a few procedures and that it had taken time.

She said that on March 28, the Central authorities had written to the Election Commission to get prior approval in the context of the Model Code of Conduct for convening the high-level committee. The EC’s approval is awaited with regard to the grant of drought relief, she added. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

Work from home to using toilets in malls, residents of India’s ‘Silicon Valley’ Bengaluru are exploring all options to combat the unprecedented water crisis. People across various neighbourhoods have been forced to order food from restaurants and take bath on alternate days due to the water scarcity.

Even those in high-rise apartments equipped with water harvesting systems now find themselves reliant on water tankers for basic needs, leading to stringent usage restrictions.

Eateries are mulling over use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water.

Educational institutions are also feeling the pinch. Recently, a coaching centre in the city asked its students to attend classes online due to an ’emergency’ for a week. Similarly, a school on Bannerghatta Road was also closed, asking students to attend classes online just like they did during the Covid pandemic.

Residents have come with up new methods to try and conserve water. 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, a resident of KR Puram.

“What to do? Clean vessels, cook food, wash clothes….so, we have started using paper plates, that way we have cut down on our water usage. And we order food twice a week. We are using the washing machine only once in a week now,” she said.

Some others have resorted to visiting a mall to take a shower or use the toilet facilities.

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 Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu until the situation becomes better.

“If the situation persists, we are thinking of seeking a work from home option. We are planning to move to our native place in Tamil Nadu temporarily till rain arrives here,” she said.

Bengaluru primarily gets its water supply from two sources – Cauvery river and groundwater. For most non-drinking uses, recycled water processed by sewage treatment plants is used. With no rain for a while now, the primary sources have been stretched to their limits. Bengaluru needs 2,600-2,800 million litres of water daily, and the current supply is half of what’s required. The result is a daily struggle for the city’s residents.

The brunt is also being borne by people living in the outskirts of Bengaluru, especially in 110 villages that were merged with the city in 2007.

The crisis has also turned into a political battle between the state’s ruling Congress government and the opposition BJP with Lok Sabha just weeks away. While the BJP has held several protests blaming the government, the Congress has accused the BJP-ruled federal government of not providing financial assistance to drought-hit Karnataka.

Bengaluru:

Five showers in a month, ordering out instead of cooking and using treated water for non-drinking purposes – the water crisis in Bengaluru has pushed residents to the wall as they struggle for every drop. As the people adopt recycling methods to manage with less water, NDTV visited some parched areas and spoke to them about how life has changed.

Residents of suburban Babusapalya are dependent on water tankers for their daily supply, and that has taken a severe hit over the past couple of months.

“We need four tankers daily. We are getting only one or two. We are facing huge problems over the past two-three months,” one resident said.

Asked if the city administration’s order to fix tanker water rates has helped, a resident said, “The rates have stabilised, but the problem remains huge. We are not getting tankers on time because of high demand.”

A woman resident of an apartment complex in the area was leaving for work. When NDTV asked her about the towering water crisis, she replied, “We have a baby, it is very difficult. Tankers are not coming. The government has reduced the prices, but they are not coming. Even if they come, the water is not sufficient. I don’t know when this will get resolved and when we will get back to normal life.”

Asked if they are hopeful of better times once the monsoon comes, a resident flagged problems with the way in which successive governments implemented development projects. “They did not consider the (overall) well-being of people. The focus has been on building apartments and roads, but we need to work on the groundwater level. It has never been done. I have been here 15 years. I have never seen such measures by any government,” he said, adding that people are waiting in kilometre-long queues for drinking water.

One resident said he took a bath 5 times over the past one month.

Bengaluru primarily gets its water supply from two sources – Cauvery river and groundwater. For most non-drinking uses, recycled water processed by sewage treatment plants is used. With no rain for a while now, the primary sources have been stretched to their limits. The result is a daily struggle for the city’s residents.

The authorities have responded with fixed rates for tankers supplying water to residential areas following allegations of extortion. Fines have been announced for use of drinking water for cleaning vehicles or gardening.

The water crisis has hit hospitals too. Brookfield Hospital near Whitefield, one of the parched areas in the city right now, depends on water tankers and needs 24,000 litres in three days. That’s not all, 5,000 litres are needed daily just for the dialysis unit.

Dr Pradeep Kumar, medical officer of Brookfield Hospital, said, “We are recycling water and using it along with regular water for washing and cleaning.”

Bengaluru has a huge chunk of the country’s migrant techies, who have flocked to the IT hub for the opportunities it offers. Now, they are looking at work-from-home options to minimise water use.

Shruthi, an engineer said, “Work-from-home will be a viable option, but only if people actually went home so that the population is reduced and water consumption drops.”

Bengaluru may be parched, but the political pot is boiling. The Opposition BJP has warned of protests, with Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya accusing the Congress government of negligence. “The government failed to take up precautionary measures. As a result of this negligence, the people of Bengaluru are facing this tough water crisis,” he has said.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has brushed aside the allegations. “BJP must protest in Delhi for projects like Mahadayi. People like (former Chief Minister) Jagadish Shettar and (Union Minister) Prahlad Joshi will also benefit from drinking water,” he told the media. The Mahadayi project plans to divert river water to parched areas of Karnataka.

Such is the situation that cricket authorities are discussing if the M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium can host IPL matches later this month.

Another group of friends that has gathered at a coffee shop said the situation now is difficult to manage. Asked if the government’s steps are going to help in the long run, one of them said, “It’s only verbal diarrhoea. I don’t think the government is going to provide a better lifestyle to us.”

The residents said they meet at the coffee shop daily after playing badminton. “We stay in Pragati township. The government last year provided nine borewells for us. We used to get water till last month, but suddenly we came to know all the borewells have dried up. Getting water from tankers is very difficult because we have to book well in advance. We were paying Rs 700-800 (for water). Now the cost has gone up to Rs 1,500-Rs 2,000. And we are in March. So we don’t know what the situation will be if it does not rain. The civic body has initiated online water supply, but that has not been activated yet. The question is if they take over the tankers, will we get water on time?”

Bengaluru:

Drought in parts of Karnataka has created a water crisis in Bengaluru and areas near the capital city. Residents in the city have been urged to use water judiciously and the Karnataka government has decided to take over private water tankers to manage the crisis.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the state government will take control of private tankers, borewells and irrigation wells. “To streamline this water crisis, I am just trying to take over. We will see that there will be an equal share of everything and ensure they will not exploit the situation,” Mr Shivakumar said. The Deputy Chief Minister said the government will consider introducing a standard price.

The acute shortage of water and increasing demand led to the price of water tankers soaring in the city. The state government said the aim is to ensure water isn’t just a luxury for the rich who can afford it.

Earlier, the cost of a 5,000-litre water tanker stood at Rs 500 in the city but after the crisis, the price shot up to Rs 2,000. Around 4,000 private tankers are operating in the city. Out of 14,000 borewells approximately 7,000 have dried up leading to a 50 per cent shortage in supply.

“We pay three times the price for one load of water through tankers. When we pay Rs 2,000, they arrive soon. When we negotiate to Rs 1,500, we need to wait 3-4 days. The problem is only worsening,” Navya, a Bengaluru resident told NDTV. 

Yesterday, the Deputy Chief Minister warned the water tanker owners in the state that the government would seize their tankers if they didn’t register with the authorities before the deadline of March 7.

“Of the total 3,500 water tankers in Bengaluru city, only 10 per cent i.e 219 tankers, have registered with the authorities. The government will seize them if they don’t register before the deadline,” Mr Shivakumar said. 

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “Around Rs 854 crore have been issued to district officials and another Rs 70 crore for borewells.”

According to Mr Siddaramaiah, 223 out of 236 Taluks of Karnataka are reeling under drought among them, 219 are badly affected. 

The Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for the Vrishabhavati Lift Irrigation Project in the Nelamangala and said the project would permanently solve the water problems faced by the people of Bengaluru City, the surrounding rural areas, and the Tumkur districts.