BENGALURU: Despite rules that drilling of borewells in Bengaluru should be carried out only after obtaining permission from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), unruly landlords have already started digging unauthorised borewells, just opposite the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) office at Tala Cauvery Layout, which falls under the HAL ward. An illegal borewell was dug on December 8.
Mohammed Mudassir, Assistant Executive Engineer, BWSSB, A Narayanpura Sub-Division, who inspected the spot and stopped the unauthorised borewell’s construction said that he has sent a letter to the Ground Water Authority, asking them to take action. “As soon as I received information that a borewell was being drilled without permission, I rushed to the spot. Upon inquiring with labourers and drivers, it was found that there was no permission from BWSSB and Ground Water Authority for the same.
I asked them to stop and went to inspect another work on Annasandra Palya Main Road. By the time I returned, the workers had abandoned the site. I have registered a complaint with the Ground Water Authority and shared details of the borewell drilling truck (KA-06-Z-7477) for legal action against them,” said Mudassir.
Karnataka Ground Water Authority Deputy Director G Jayanna, however, stated that in Bengaluru limits, where the Cauvery water supply is less or absent, the BWSSB can allow the drilling of borewells for drinking water purposes, albeit only after an inspection.
“BWSSB has been given powers of imposing penalty and also seizing borewell-drilling vehicles if it is found that unauthorised borewells were being dug up,” he said. A resident of the HAL ward said that in the Mahadevpura Zone for the last three years, rampant illegal borewells have been coming up, especially around lakes.