Home to about 1.4 crore people, with thousands of startups and international firms from Walmart to Alphabet’s Google, Karnataka Water Supply and Sewerage Board has banned the usage of drinking water for car washing, gardening, construction, water fountains. A fine of₹5,000 will be imposed in case it is violated.
Borewells in several parts of Bengaluru have dried up, leaving affluent, gated communities to rely on disposable cutlery, wet wipes, and mall toilets due to the city’s severe water deficit.
Worse, instead of charging between ₹600 and ₹800 for a cargo of 12,000 litres, private tankers are now demanding up to ₹3,000.
The worst affected are those who live in gated communities; some people are unfortunately compelled to travel neighbouring malls every day just to use the washrooms due to the escalating water issue. A Moneycontrol report claims that residents of Prestige Falcon City on Kanakapura Road have been using the washrooms of the adjacent Forum Mall.
The shortage of water supply is caused by weak southwest monsoon rains which has failed to replenish depleted groundwater and the Cauvery River basin reservoirs have already forced residents to ration water use and pay almost double the usual price to meet their daily needs.
To cut down cost and water resource on washing, some restaurants are thinking about switching to disposable plates. While others are posting warning signs in the washrooms and teaching staff members how to use less water. Moreover, the crisis has affected Bengaluru’s factories too as manufacturers cannot afford to obstruct production but that has considerably slowed down work. The state government’s move to restrict water tanks, which the city uses when river and groundwater levels are too low, prompted some water tank providers to go on strike this week, making the situation worse.
