Amid Crisis, Bengaluru Fixes Price Of Water Tanks After Residents Complaint

Amidst a severe water crisis, the Bengaluru city district administration issued an order fixing the price of tanker water on Thursday after persistent allegations that tanker owners are extorting from residents.

Bengaluru City District Collector, KA Dayanand, issued the circular after the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board filed a petition on behalf of the Bangalore Metropolitan Corporation. The district administration said that this rate has been fixed based on the recommendations of the technical committee.

As per the Bengaluru district administration, for up to 5 km, a 6000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 600, an 8000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 700, and a 12,000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 1000.

If the distance is between 5 and 10 km, a 6000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 750, an 8000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 850, and a 12,000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 1200.

Collectors who have declared all taluks of Bengaluru city district as drought-prone, private tankers supplying water will come under GST, and GST will be added to these rates, the order said.

As the city is crippled by a severe water crisis, the Karnataka government earlier this week held a key meeting to address the issue.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said in the Legislative Assembly that the government would prioritise irrigation and water management projects over other works.

"The priority is the development of irrigation projects and filling up tanks. Other works, such as roads, will be taken up subsequently. We have already discussed this with the Chief Minister," Mr Shivakumar said.

Also, the Deputy CM has warned the water tanker owners in the state that the government would seize their tankers if they did not register with the authorities before the deadline of March 7.

"Of the total 3,500 water tankers in Bengaluru city, only 10%, that is 219 tankers, have registered with the authorities. The government will seize them if they don't register before the deadline," he said.

"Water is not the property of any individual but is a resource that belongs to the government. The government has the right to take control of water sources. The officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board have been instructed to be prepared to supply water from areas where groundwater is abundant. The BWSSB is using 210 tankers to supply water already. The election code of conduct will not come in the way of supplying water," he added.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejasvi Surya warned of protests in front of Vidhana Soudha if the Congress government in Karnataka failed to address the drinking water crisis in Bengaluru soon.

Following a meeting with Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) chairman Ram Prasath Manohar, Surya said that if the water problem is not resolved within a week, the Karnataka BJP brass would lead protests at Vidhana Soudha.

"The government, despite being aware of having to face this situation, failed to take up precautionary measures. As a result of this negligence, today, the people of Bengaluru are facing this tough water crisis," he said in a statement.

"This shows the sheer neglect of the decision makers and their irresponsibility towards Bengaluru," he added.

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