BENGALURU: As an precautionary step to handle any future emergencies related to water, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has set up a small core team to tackle any crisis.
Billed the ‘Crisis Management Group’, it was constituted on October 6 by chairman Tushar Girinath after a review meet, which was held at Cauvery Bhavan.
The core team comprises of the Engineer-in-Chief and the three Chief Engineers who head the Maintenance, Cauvery Supply and Projects divisions of BWSSB. The group will hold meeting in the coming days to prepare a comprehensive action plan.
Speaking to Express, Girinath said, “Such crisis teams have been formed in the past during summer shortages by BWSSB. We propose to make this team a permanent group that will constantly be in a state of readiness.”
A micro plan will be prepared by the team that will look at areas that may be affected first in case of any emergency, to keep track of the ground level reservoirs and look into revival of the mini water supply schemes that existed in the past. The scheme involved construction of mini water tanks and laying of pipes.
Engineer-in-Chief Kemparamaiah said that with the catchment areas receiving around 25 per cent less rainfall this year compared to the previous year, problems could crop up in future. A total of 136 taluks too have been declared drought affected, he added.
“The city has absolutely no problems right now, but the overall picture shows that problems could crop up in future. We want to be ready well in advance,” Kemparamaiah said. “If a situation arises when pumping of water to the city sees a shortfall of 100 Million Litres Per Day (MLD) or 200 MLD, we would be in a position to manage it immediately. Hiring of additional tankers is just one of the options the BWSSB has in mind,” he added.