BANGALORE: The residents of Kadugondanahalli Ward, most of them from economically poor families, appeal the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to pressurise the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) authorities to ensure water supply at least once a week if not on alternate days.
It is not that the BBMP did nothing to mitigate water woes at various localities such as Venkateshpura, Pillanna Garden, P and T Layout, Narasimha Layout.
The authorities dug 10 borewells but three failed to yield water. “The BWSSB has been issuing bills to us for water that has never been supplied. The houses at low-lying areas get borewell water but residents at other areas are facing a lot of problems due to the shortage of water,” said Mohammed Saleem, secretary, Pillanna Garden 3rd Stage, P and T, Railway Layout Residents’ Welfare Association. One can see women waiting at water taps on the streets for water. The residents are happy with the work done by Corporator Shaheen Taj and her husband R Chotu Qureshi. “We are grateful to them for taking initiative to dig borewells and supply water. However, we are not getting Cauvery water. It has become difficult for us to buy drinking water,” said Saheena, a resident of 5th Cross, Vinobhanagar.
The residents have also complained about choked manholes and heaps of garbage. “We have complained to the BWSSB about the overflowing manholes that have become a health hazard for us but in vain,” said a housewife.
Meanwhile, Chotu Quereshi has said that many measures were taken to mitigate water woes at various localities in Kadugondanahalli Ward. “I, with the support of MLA K J George, have taken measures to supply borewell water to all localities and installed more than 800 water taps. However, there are a few complaints about non-supply of water. Their grievances will be redressed shortly,” said Qureshi. Elaborating about the welfare measures taken for the benefit of financially poor families, he said that he had supplied more than 5,000 application forms free of cost for ration cards. “With the guidance and support of MLA K J George, the construction work of 184 houses for economically weaker sections is in progress. MLA George has laid the foundation stone for the construction of a school building adjacent to the site where 184 houses are under construction,” said Qureshi.
He said the BBMP had sanctioned `3 crore to take up development works in the year 2010-11. “Many roads were concretised and culverts strengthened at Pillanna Garden, P&T Colony, BM Layout, Narasimhaiah Layout and Vinoba Nagar. The construction of 46 houses for economically weaker sections under 22.75 per cent scheme
is in progress,” he said.
He has expressed his disappointment over the apathy of BWSSB to take measures to replace the existing sanitary pipes with new ones. “The sanitary pipes were laid long ago. The only solution to choked manholes is to replace the old pipes,” he said.