BENGALURU: The surging prices of water tankers across Bengaluru have left citizens exasperated even as the whole of the city is struggling to grapple with a severe crisis even before peak summer.
With water tanker operators practically holding housing societies and citizens to ransom, the issue reverberated in the just concluded budget session of the legislature.MLAs and MLCs collectively demanded that the govt crack down on the tanker mafia and ensure a steady supply of water to people.
Close on the heels of citizen representatives’ demand to cap the charges of water tankers in Bengaluru, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday announced that the state govt will take over all tankers that have been supplying water to people from borewells.
Interestingly, BBMP recently directed all water tanker operators to register themselves on its portal within a week besides maintaining a certificate all the time in their vehicles.
Acknowledging the burgeoning water crisis, especially in 110 village limits on the outskirts and outer zones of BBMP, Shivakumar told media persons that the state government will act firmly.
“The state govt has decided to take over the tankers that are supplying water from borewells, to address the crisis in Bengaluru,” he said.
The Bengaluru development minister stated that the registration of all tankers was made mandatory to check the mafia.
Shivakumar clarified that BBMP and BWSSB have been coordinating with each other to address the crisis. “The govt will resolve the water crisis by providing borewell water and I have already allocated Rs 10 crore from my department grants to each of the assembly constituencies in Bengaluru. I will be holding a special meeting in this regard on Monday afternoon,” the DCM explained.
Meanwhile, water tanker operators have continued to fleece people by charging exorbitant prices. The operators who were charging Rs 700-800 for a 12,000-litre tanker in the first week of Jan have now begun to charge Rs 1,500-1,800. The prices have crossed Rs 2,000 in RR Nagar which has more acute shortage in the city.
A senior official from the BBMP told STOI there are more than 4,000 water tankers currently operating in various parts of the city.
“Out of these, only 60 tankers have obtained a licence from the BBMP. We will start acting on the unauthorised water tankers and illegal tankers will be seized. Palike will supply water to the affected localities of the city using those tankers free of cost,” the official said.
With water tanker operators practically holding housing societies and citizens to ransom, the issue reverberated in the just concluded budget session of the legislature.MLAs and MLCs collectively demanded that the govt crack down on the tanker mafia and ensure a steady supply of water to people.
Close on the heels of citizen representatives’ demand to cap the charges of water tankers in Bengaluru, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday announced that the state govt will take over all tankers that have been supplying water to people from borewells.
Interestingly, BBMP recently directed all water tanker operators to register themselves on its portal within a week besides maintaining a certificate all the time in their vehicles.
Acknowledging the burgeoning water crisis, especially in 110 village limits on the outskirts and outer zones of BBMP, Shivakumar told media persons that the state government will act firmly.
“The state govt has decided to take over the tankers that are supplying water from borewells, to address the crisis in Bengaluru,” he said.
The Bengaluru development minister stated that the registration of all tankers was made mandatory to check the mafia.
Shivakumar clarified that BBMP and BWSSB have been coordinating with each other to address the crisis. “The govt will resolve the water crisis by providing borewell water and I have already allocated Rs 10 crore from my department grants to each of the assembly constituencies in Bengaluru. I will be holding a special meeting in this regard on Monday afternoon,” the DCM explained.
Meanwhile, water tanker operators have continued to fleece people by charging exorbitant prices. The operators who were charging Rs 700-800 for a 12,000-litre tanker in the first week of Jan have now begun to charge Rs 1,500-1,800. The prices have crossed Rs 2,000 in RR Nagar which has more acute shortage in the city.
A senior official from the BBMP told STOI there are more than 4,000 water tankers currently operating in various parts of the city.
“Out of these, only 60 tankers have obtained a licence from the BBMP. We will start acting on the unauthorised water tankers and illegal tankers will be seized. Palike will supply water to the affected localities of the city using those tankers free of cost,” the official said.