BENGALURU: Visitors to Bannerghatta Biological Park (zoo) are not getting Cauvery water to drink. This is because the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has still not completed the work of laying the pipelines to the park.
The project is delayed because Bannerghatta Gram Panchayat members are obstructing the work of laying the pipeline on a Public Works Department (PWD) road. “We have completed 80% of the work. We are unable to lay 150 metres of the pipe as local panchayat members and villagers are objecting to the work. We have asked PWD to sort out
the issue and once done, the work will be completed within 15 days,” said BWSSB Chief Engineer, south zone, Venkatesh SV.
The zoo management said they had appealed for Cauvery water only for public use and not for animals. For the animals and maintenance of the park, borewell water is being used. “The request was made many years ago, and it gained momentum three to four years back. Tenders were called and work orders issued after a meeting with Forest Minister Eshwar B Khandre on June 6. The BBP management also deposited Rs 2,38,32,433, for getting the Cauvery water pipeline,” said BBP Executive Director Surya Sen.
But panchayat members are not happy. They are demanding that Cauvery water connection be also given to the panchayat office and houses in the village. They are demanding that BBP pay them Rs 50 lakh annually from the earnings for using the panchayat road, creating garbage menace and for the land used.
Forest officials point out that the road was built by PWD and the zoo has been carved out of forest land. No panchayat land has been acquired for any zoo work, said Sen.
But panchayat president Manjunath maintained that water should also be given to villages around.
“We have not written any letter to BWSSB, but communicated it orally. The villages are not developing, but the zoo is. We should be given money for development. We are also part of the city outskirts and we should get Cauvery water. Even though it is a PWD road, we cannot allow the pipeline,” he added.
BWSSB officials said the Bannerghatta panchayat is not included in the list of 110 villages or the CMC or TMC areas where Cauvery pipelines are being laid. Special permission for supplying drinking water was given following government orders only for Bannerghatta zoo.