BANGALORE: The residents of Devarajeevanahalli ward have been struggling with severe water crisis. Corporator R Sampath Raj is furious with the lackadaisical attitude of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in dealing with the issue. In conversation with City Express, the corporator revealed, “My people are suffering from constant water problems as the taps are completely dry. Out of 500 phone calls, 470 calls are pertaining to water woes in my ward. Even the UGD pipes are not well connected and some are broken. To top it all absence of manholes pose severe health issues. I have raised this issue in the council and every meeting I have attended so far.” He went on to add, “In fact, the situation here is so grave that a person died in my ward today. And, according to Islamic rituals the body has to be bathed before performing the last rites. I have been trying to call a tanker for the past four hours but they haven’t arrived the spot yet. I can understand the delay considering the demand for private water suppliers.”
On the indifferent attitude of BWSSB officials, he further added, “I have lodged several complaints with the BWSSB officials on many occasions, and every time they give the same old excuse that there are no funds, they had called for tenders etc.”
The corporator concluded, “At present the residents of Devarajeevanahalli ward is surviving on private water suppliers apart from few borewells. The water in the borewell is also not clean. It can be used for domestic purposes but not for drinking.” When City Express contacted the Assistant Executive Engineer, Kumar Naik, BWSSB, he said, “After the Cauvery 4th stage, 2nd phase work is over, all the issues will be sorted out. It will take almost three months for the project to finish.”