BANGALORE: Earlier under Ramagondanahalli Panchayat, the Hagadur ward on the outskirts of the city was added to Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP)like so many other semi-urban and rural areas.
When City Express visited the ward, we found a few residents of Siddapura, the main area in this ward, running behind a water tanker desperately to fill in their water pots. Our inquiries elicited the same story that most wards in Bangalore face, the problem of water scarcity especially during the summer months. Even Hagadur ward has the same chronic problem of water scarcity.
The ward can be clearly divided into two zones - areas that have regular supply from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) while some without any BWSSB services. Areas like Nallurhalli, Nallurhalli Kere, Whitefield, Vinayaka Layout, Sathya Sai Layout, Brooke Bond, Byrappa Layout are fortunate to have BWSSB services. However, more than 10 villages and three erstwhile city muncipal councils which was added to the Hagadur BBMP ward have no such services and the area residents are forced to totally relay on borewells and the water supplied through tankers.Manujula M, a home-maker told City Express, “We have intermittant water supply. We get water only twice or thrice a week. When we demand proper water supply, the officials give excuses and say that the scarcity is due to various problems like leaking pipes and other such issues which, however,can be set right within half a day”. She alleged that some water board officials were supplying water to those areas where money is given.
When we sought Hagadur corporator, H A Srinivas’s opinion to tackle the increasing water problem in his ward he said “Daily seven loads of water is being supplied to the areas where there is such an issue especially to Nallurhalli. After I took charge, I have drilled more than 61 borewells in my ward for the welfare of my residents”. He further added that he has sent in a proposal for drilling 25 more borewells in some areas facing acute water scarcity.
We also found the residents of some areas like Siddapura, Gandhipuram and surrounding areas being furious over the silly attitude of corporates. As the major IT hub of Bangalore is located at Whitefield, many corporate employees who hail from other states have rented their rooms and houses in Hagadur ward.
“Corporate employees who work in various shifts throughout the day as well as the night shift, stuff all their garbage into a plastic bag and dispose it off while proceeding to their office. Completely lacking civic sense or any concern for their fellow citizens, this attitude has to be changed” said Lakshmipathi, a resident. But Lakshmipathy was happy over the drainage works being taken up where most of the drains in the ward were repaired and covered totally by concrete slabs. On his part, the corporator promised that this issue will be resolved in the coming days and claimed that he had directed the garbage collectors to go round the ward.