Bengaluru: 22 families fined for wasting Cauvery water

In a strict measure to prevent wastage of water amid severe shortage, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) recently fined Rs 5000 each from 22 families for using Cauvery water for non-essential purposes.The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) said it has collected Rs 1.1 lakh in fines from the 22 households. The fines were collected from different areas of the city, with the highest (Rs 80,000) coming from the southern region.The action comes at least two weeks after the BWSSB passed an order banning the usage of water for car washing, gardening, water fountains, construction work, maintenance or entertainment purposes.As part of its campaign against water wastage, the BWSSB is actively responding to complaints received through social media, where people were found using drinking water to clean cars, maintain gardens, and for other avoidable purposes.For repeat offenders, the board had decided an additional fine of Rs 500, to be imposed every time one violates the order.
Commercial establishments, apartments, restaurants, luxury hotels, industries, and other public areas are now required to install aerators, which control water flow from taps, as a mandatory measure.To address the water scarcity issue in Bengaluru, the government is considering treated water as a viable solution. This treated water can be utilized for non-essential purposes, reducing the dependency on Cauvery water, which is primarily used for drinking.Bengaluru and parts of Karnataka are facing the worst water crisis caused by the failure of both southwest and northeast monsoons in the state. The metropolitan city has seen declining groundwater levels, diminishing reservoirs, dried bore wells and water supply cuts.The severe water shortage has pushed Bengaluru to the edge, forcing city residents to work from home, eat in disposable dishes, and use toilets at malls.
According to reports,Bangaluru is facing a shortage of about 500 million litres of water per day (MLD) against the requirement of 2,600 MLDs.Of the total requirement, 1,470 MLD water comes from the Cauvery river while 650 MLD is sourced from borewell.

(Dr Mysi Patil, State Correspondent)