Bengaluru: After the state government seized private tankers for water scarcity areas, a gated community has reported facing severe water shortage as a consequence. On March 2, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar declared that private water tankers in the southern state would be taken over by the state government amid the severe water shortage in Bengaluru.

Therefore, a dire situation has arisen at a gated community where water reservoirs are depleting.

In an internal message, gated community Prestige Falcon City informed its citizens, “We regret to inform you of a critical situation regarding our water supply. We have just received alarming news that the RTO & BWSSB authorities are seizing all water tankers to ensure water delivery to areas facing severe water scarcity, where there is completely no water available.”

"As a result of this unprecedented action, our water sumps have been depleted, and we currently have no water available in them. At present, we only have water stored in the overhead tanks (OHTS), which may not last much longer. At the most, the water supply will be available for the next one hour. Once the OHTS run out of water, there will be no further water supply available to us," the message added. 

According to media reports, Herohalli women stormed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) head office, demanding regular drinking water supply. "Tankers are demanding Rs 1,600 per load," said the women.

Prices of water tankers to be regulated after March 7: Deputy CM DK Shivakumar

Earlier on Monday, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar conducted a meeting with BBMP and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) officials. He contemplated on the water crisis in the city and the water tanker mafia charging exorbitant prices for providing water. The meeting was chairded in the presence of BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar and other officials.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the prices of the water supplied by tankers will be zeroed in on according to the distance travelled by the vehicle to supply water. He said that it has come to notice that water tankers are charging Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 to supply a tanker of water. He added that the government will hold a meeting with the tankers association and decide the prices based on the distance of the area to which water has to be supplied. 

The Dy CM added that the move will take place after the water tankers have registered themselves. He revealed that there are about 3,500 tankers in Bengaluru, as per RTO data, but that only 219 tankers have registered so far with the BBMP to supply water. 

He notified that March 7 is the last date to register water tankers and that cases would be registered against the owners if they fail to register before the deadline. "We are identifying borewells with abundant water sources to supply water to affected areas,” DK Shivakumar said.

At least 6,997 Borewells dry up in Bengaluru

According to data, there are at least 16,791 bore wells in Bengaluru. Of these, at least 6,997 had already dried up, according to the Deputy Chief Minister.

The Dy CM said that the procedure of identifying borewells involves locating those with plentiful water supply so that tankers may deliver water to the impacted areas.

Shivakumar further assured that the fifth stage of the Cauvery project to supply water to the city would be completed by the end of May this year.