BANGALORE: With mercury soaring high, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) is gearing up to quench the thirst of the citizens, especially those living in the peripheral areas. The water board has called for tenders to hire 131 water tankers to supply from March to May.
BWSSB is attempting to cater to the needs of citizens through 42 water tankers, where there are no pipelines. Sources said that the board has spent Rs 56.78 crore in 2008-09, Rs 91.33 crore in 2009-10, Rs 114.32 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 32.74 crore up to December last year to supply water to residents of City Muncipal Councils (CMC) and Town Muncipal Councils(TMC) through tankers and borewells. The expenditure includes power charges, capital expenditure, and maintenance charges, among other things.
Also, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda recently announced a grant of `100 crore to BWSSB to mitigate the shortage of drinking water supply at least until the end of summer.
Learning from their experiences, the Water Board is planning to initiate stern action on the drivers of BWSSB water tankers who sell water to public. Last summer, many residents complained that the free water supply was charged. The Board has requested the public to bring such instances to their attention either through their officers at the sub-division level or through their call centre services. It has deputed Special Officers to hear their grievances and to lodge complaints.
Most tankers cater to the needs of the citizens living in the outskirts of the city. These areas include erstwhile CMCs like Mahadevapura, Yelahanka, Bommanahalli, and K R Puram , and a TMC, and 111 villages, where the BWSSB is laying pipeline to supply water through the much-awaited multi-crore project, Cauvery IV
stage 2nd phase.
Sources said that there are about 8,000 borewells and that all borewells will be checked, de-silted and repaired in time for summer. However, there is no plan to sink new borwells.
Lodge a complaint
■ ;BWSSB has asked the public to lodge complaints against those who supply water for commercial purposes through tankers and lorries
■ ;The Board’s 24-hour call centre service to lodge complaints can be reached on 080-22238888