Date:15/03/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/03/15/stories/2007031520120300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Borewells causing scarcity: MLA

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Congress MLA N.L. Narendra Babu on Tuesday alleged that indiscriminate digging of borewells as well as over exploitation of groundwater by apartments had resulted in receding of water table in Bangalore.

Mr. Babu, who represents Rajajinagar Assembly Constituency, told The Hindu after taking part in a protest against the final award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal here, that a new luxury apartment, which had come up in Sriramapuram had drilled nearly 200 borewells. Each borewell had a depth of 500 feet to 600 feet.

This had resulted in drying up of most of the old borewells in the neighbourhood, he said. He urged the Government and the civic authorities to make it mandatory for these luxury apartments to install rainwater harvesting system as well as recycling of used water to reduce overexploitation of groundwater.

Mr. Babu said the drinking water shortage had surfaced early this summer in Bangalore compared to past. He alleged that lack of preparations by the Government and civic authorities to handle the summer water supply was responsible for this situation.

The legislator alleged that a large number of mini-water supply schemes had not been working in the city because of the confusion over which civic authority should pay their power bills. The Congress would stage a dharna in front of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) in Bangalore in a couple of days, he said to draw the attention of the Government and civic authorities on the drinking water shortage in several areas of the city, Mr. Babu said.