Date:14/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/14/stories/2006011422150300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Residents stage protest for water

Staff Reporter

BWSSB, BMP officials blamed for people's plight

BANGALORE: Water has become a scarce commodity for residents of Ambedkar Nagar and N. Lakshman Rao Nagar slums in Neelsandra ward.

Fed up of pleading with the authorities to regularly supply water to the area, the residents on Friday staged a dharna in front of the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) head office here.

Over a hundred residents, led by Janata Dal (Secular) workers from the area Doddamani Dashrath and G. Balakrishnan, submitted a memorandum to Deputy Mayor M. Lakshminarayana, who promised to look into the matter.

The residents blamed officials of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and BMP and also the Neelsandra corporator B. Selvam for their plight.

The area had been deprived of water for the past 30 years and people were fetching water from neighbouring areas.

After repeated requests to the authorities, the water pipelines were laid last year, the residents said.

"After that, we got water for 10 days in May and were also promised regular supply. The supply was stopped and we were asked to deposit the amount for installing individual water meters. Accordingly, over 700 residents deposited a sum of Rs. 800 per house for the meters. But the BWSSB is yet to install the meters and provide water," Mr. Balakrishnan said.