BENGALURU: The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has requested the Drought Monitoring Committee for Rs 74 crore to tide over an expected water crisis this summer if rains fail.
The letter from the water board has asked for Rs 51 crore for drilling new borewells in the city and `23 crore for hiring water tankers, BWSSB engineer in-chief Kemparamaiah told Express.
BWSSB had recently written to the deputy commissioner (urban) asking him to arrange for 210 water tankers. “We have asked for 60 water tankers in April and 150 in May. These would supplement the 68 tankers the board has in its possession,” he said. The DC has the power to take control of private tankers in drought-like situations under Article 205/65 of The Drought Act, he said. “The BWSSB will pay a nominal amount as daily hiring charges to the tanker owners,” he added.
The tankers will be filled through the 35 filler points provided at ground level reservoirs spread across the city. “The BWSSB has identified 40 spots in the city. A private agency has been contracted with drilling borewells in these places and will begin drilling within a week,” Kemparamaiah added. An additional 60 spots will be identified before March, he said. The tankers can also be supplied with water through these borewells after they provide water, Kemparamaiah added.
“If the drought panel sanctions funds, BWSSB will not charge consumers if they want water through tankers,” he said.