Bengaluru water crisis : India's 'Silicon Valley' bans potable water in swimming pools amid crisis

Bengaluru- or India's 'Silicon Valley' as it is popularly called - is currently battling a deepening water crisis, because of which the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has prohibited the use of using potable water in swimming pools.

The order issued on Tuesday (Mar 12) aims to conserve precious drinking water resources amid the scarcity in the south Indian city.

What the BWSSB said

Under the BWSSB order, the use of potable water in swimming pools is strictly prohibited and any violation of this order will result in a penalty of Rs 5,000 (around $61).

Stressing the seriousness of the issue, BWSSB chairperson Dr V Ram Prasath Manohar on Saturday said: "We must clarify this to the people of Bengaluru and also the global citizens about Bengaluru.

"In the city, we have 1 crore 40 lakh (14 million) population, 150 litres of water consumption per person per day is required. The total quantity required for Bengaluru is 200000 mld (million litres per day)."

He further highlighted the city's sources of water and said that currently, Bengaluru receives 10450 mld of water from the Cauvery river.

"Currently, the reservoir provides 34 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) of water. The requirement for Bengaluru for the next five months is only eight tmc water. The water from Cauvery will be sufficient till July," he said.

BJP protests

On Tuesday (Mar 12), the state unit of the BJP staged a protest at Freedom Park to highlight the water crisis and criticise the Congress government's handling of the situation.

There, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya accused the Congress government of neglecting the interests of Bengaluru residents.

"The Congress government, knowing well in advance about the looming water crisis in Bengaluru, acted against the interests of the people & released water to please its alliance partner in Tamil Nadu. Neither CM Siddaramaiah nor DCM DK Shivakumar visited any of the water-stressed areas of the city and understood the plight of the people," he said.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar criticised the BJP for politicising the water crisis.

"BJP is planning a protest against the state government tomorrow, let them do what they want, first let them approach the central government and ask them to permit Mahadayi and Mekedaatu projects," he said.

He refuted claims of water scarcity in Bengaluru, attributing it to political manoeuvres by the BJP.

"There is no such scarcity of water in Bengaluru, it is the BJP that has created the scarcity, its what they're doing, we are providing what we have been asked legally to Tamil Nadu. Our priority to provide water to Bengaluru," he said.

Shivakumar also assured the public that the government is taking proactive measures to address the crisis.

(With inputs from agencies)