Bengaluru water crisis: Govt warns seizure of water tankers, fixed rates soon

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, issued a stern warning to water tanker operators in the state, cautioning them of potential seizure of their vehicles if they fail to register with the authorities by the deadline of March 7. Speaking at a press conference held at the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) headquarters, he noted that out of the city's total 3,500 water tankers, only 10%, equivalent to 219 tankers, have completed registration.

Emphasizing that water is a public resource under government control, Shivakumar directed officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to be prepared to supply water from areas with abundant groundwater. Currently, BWSSB is utilizing 210 tankers for water distribution. Shivakumar assured that election regulations would not impede water supply efforts.

The private water tankers are charging anywhere between Rs 500 to Rs 2000 per tanker. He said that the authorities would talk to the Association and fix a standard price.


Shivakumar said that the government had decided to open BBMP helplines and ward-wise grievance centres to address complaints regarding water shortage in the city.

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, stated that a total of Rs 556 crore has been allocated to tackle the water crisis in Bengaluru. Each MLA representing Bengaluru has been allotted Rs 10 crore to address water scarcity in their respective constituencies. Additionally, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has set aside Rs 148 crore, while the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has earmarked Rs 128 crore to address the issue.

Furthermore, Shivakumar mentioned the establishment of a war room to monitor the situation in real-time. He assured that senior officials, along with himself, would oversee the situation on a daily basis, emphasizing the government's responsibility to provide drinking water to citizens and alleviating concerns among the public.

Bengaluru water tanker pricing

Regarding borewells, Shivakumar reported that out of the 16,781 borewells in their records, 6,997 have dried up, while the remaining 7,784 are operational. He announced plans for drilling new borewells to address the shortage. Additionally, he acknowledged a slight pricing disparity between local and Tamil Nadu vendors, stating that efforts would be made to resolve this difference promptly.

The officials have been instructed to deploy unused milk tankers for water supply. The KMF milk tankers will be cleaned up before being deployed for water supply in Bengaluru. These tankers will be used for water supply until the water shortage persists, he said.

The officials have also been instructed to immediately operationalise all the drinking water centres which were not operational till now. The Bescom officials have been told to register all the borewells in use for agriculture and commercial use.

Stating that Bengaluru city was going through a serious water crisis, Shivakumar urged the general public to use water judiciously. "Don't use drinking water for gardens and car wash. Treated water may be used for other purposes," he added.

The government has called for meeting of private water tanker owners on March 7 to fix a standard price.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday laid the foundation stone for the Vrishabhavati Lift Irrigation Project in the Nelamangala Assembly Constituency and stated that the project would permanently solve the water problems faced by the people of Bengaluru City, the surrounding rural areas, and the Tumkur districts. (With ANI inputs)