Begur Promised Cauvery Water in 2017, BWSSB Yet to Finish Work

The delay in laying pipelines and releasing water is causing immense inconvenience for us.

Begur residents rely on water tankers in the absence of Cauvery water connection.

(Photo: Arpita Raj/The Quint)

Reporter, Cameraperson: Arpita Raj
Video Editor: Deepthi Ramdas
Video Producer: Aastha Gulati

There are about 400 families in the ‘Classic Paradise’ layout at Begur road in Bengaluru. I was one of the first few residents to have moved here in 2003. There was no water back then days either, but in 2017, the government promised we would get water as it bought five zones (ours included) under the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). We were supposed to be supplied with water from the Cauvery river.

We became hopeful when the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) started laying pipelines in Begur two years ago, but to date, we haven’t received water.

“We have paid whatever money the authority board has asked us to pay and we have taken the meter. Everything is fixed, but we are still deprived of water.”

Grace, Resident

In November 2018, when the BWSSB started the digging work, they made a mess of the roads here. As a fellow resident, Bharat says:

“The roads have been terribly bad, and there have been tankers and trucks that have sunk in and led to traffic jams.”

Bharat, Resident

Residents began representing their grievances persistently to the departments concerned. Thankfully, the roads are in better shape now, but whether they will stay in such condition is an open-ended question.

“The main road and crossroads have not been tarred at all. We have been reminding them, but they don’t seem to be caring.”

Kothandaram, Resident

This layout serves as a key link road connecting Hulimavu, Begur Road and Bommanahalli and Electronic City sides. Yet this is the condition.

Dependence on Water Tankers

Water has become so scarce and costly that we don’t throw away the used water from our washing machine or from washed clothes. We save each drop. Some residents have taken to rainwater harvesting.

I used to buy water for Rs 210 per tanker in 2003-04. Now, the cost of a water tanker has increased to Rs 700. These private suppliers prove heavy on our pockets.

“We are a family of five people, so we need at least five tankers in a month and per tanker, it’s Rs 500.”

Prakash, Resident 

Another resident, Roopa, faces the same problem.

“Our tanker stores around 6,000 litres, which will be good for us for a week. We are paying around Rs 1,000.”

Roopa, Resident

Unfortunately, tankers are not readily available. The suppliers make excuses like ‘water is not available, we will come some other time’.

Water is essential. Without water, we can’t live. The BWSSB, having taken the deposit amount, is yet to connect Cauvery water pipelines to our homes. They have neglected us totally and are shifting deadlines without paying heed to the problems caused to citizens. The BWSSB had promised to give us water connection by July 2019.

BWSSB’s Response to The Quint

Tushar Giri Nath, Chairperson of the BWSSB, spoke to The Quint and assured that the pipeline work would be completed within 10 to 15 days.

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