BENGALURU: Even as Bellandur residents are under stress following the drying up of their borewells, those involved in the business of selling water for a living are just not willing to give up. They try their luck in any patch of unexploited land. One of them has been enterprising enough to try digging a borewell on one of the footpaths of the Kasavanahalli Road. Vishnu Prasad, president, Bellandur Development Forum, said, “When we complained to the BBMP, the officials said it was not a footpath though we have a picture clearly showing it. Those involved in drilling borewells generally refuse to respond to any questions asked.”
Prasad also said that drilling could be attempted by those involved in commercial operations as well as individual house owners themselves at many other locations within the area. It is quite probable that most of them are being done illegally. Both BWSSB and BBMP say the rules are quite stringent.
A top water supply board official said that due to summer, BWSSB has stopped issuing permission for drilling borewells. “Beginning March 1, no one has been permitted to go ahead with it. Even getting permission for it is an elaborate process. A request form needs to be sent to BWSSB, which will be sent to the Groundwater Regulatory Authority. A geologist visits the spot and checks various aspects. Only if the authority accords permission, then it is sent to a committee inside BWSSB. Only if the committee approves, then one can drill a borewell.”
A circular issued by BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad said that before going ahead with drilling of a borewell, any contractor entrusted with the job needs to seek permission from the Karnataka Groundwater Regulatory Authority by submitting Form 7 (A) along with the conditions specified to him when he was awarded the tender.