Bengaluru authorities crack down on water wasters; Rs 1.10 lakh collected

BENGALURU: Authorities have fined people for wasting water amid severe drinking water shortage. The water shortage has worsened with the onset of summer. The Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board has fined those who showed abundance during the worst drought in decades. In the last three days, Rs 1.10 lakh has been collected as fine.

Board Chairperson Ram Prashant Manohar said, "The authorities had earlier advised the city residents to use water only for essential purposes. Most of the complaints are registered in the south-eastern part of the city and along with the complaints, warnings are issued asking them to use water sparingly."

Earlier this month, the board had imposed a ban on the use of water in the city for cleaning vehicles, gardening, building construction and running water fountains. With this, the authorities have tightened the control. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had said in mid-March that Bengaluru metropolis is facing a shortage of 500 million liters of water per day (MLD). The city actually needs 2600 million liters of water. The Chief Minister had also said that 6,900 of the 14,000 tube wells in Bengaluru have dried up.