Linemen reap benefits of water woes

Scarcity of water has touched new lows in Whitefield, but how is water supplied to certain communities alone in the locality? asks Sheeja Nair.

The water situation has never been so grim in Whitefield. In the past eight years of my stay here, I have seen water supply dwindle down from twice a week to once in ten days. From February this year, there has been no water supply at all.

There are deviations in the original water pipelines leading to communities and apartments. Residents get this done by bribing the linemen. I spoke to K Nagaraj Hoodi, Assistant Engineer, BWSSB (East) about the inequitable water supply and the corruption which is enabling water supply to certain communities alone. Hoodi gave an excuse that water cannot be supplied due to some BWSSB pipelining repair work.

As a desperate measure, I contacted the lineman who not just promised me that he will supply water but also fulfilled it. The next day he sent water to fill my sump up. This makes me question BWSSB’s credibility and their excuses for non-supply of water. It is sad to admit that we are at the mercy of these linemen. If and when the lineman picks up your call, you will get water! Water tankers are also not available as the borewells are dry in the vicinity.

How do I get the concerned people to act? How do I know that excuses of broken pipes, dry borewells, faulty motors etc,. are really the reasons for lack of water supply? Why should I slip in cash into their pockets for bare minimum water supply?

How is a property like Whitefield being permitted to develop if existing residents do not have the basic water supply? Can BWSSB  get away on these excuses? An investigation into the water resource, its distribution and the deviations in pipelines and supplies is imperative.

Comments:

  1. Divya Harave says:

    Same situation on Airport Road. The area where the local BJP corporator lives somehow miraculously gets water all the time, we are just across the road and yet have not seen water in four months!

  2. Pillai Ronny says:

    I totally agree with Sheeja. I am a resident of Doctor’s Layout, Whitefield constructing a house without drilling a borewell and getting water from tanker for construction. I am totally dependent on the corporation water once the construction is over. i have heard that there is no enough water supply in the area. The lineman is just invisible. I have seen some constructions where the contractor has good contacts with the line man and the offices gets the connection even when the construction is not complete. I have spent around 15000/- till now on tankers!!! Residents who have the borewell of their own are dying for one corporation connection which again is a bore water. Why the hell they get connection????? once the cauvery water comes let them have it.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

Opinion: Why climate action must recognise and include India’s informal workers

As COP29 discusses ways to mitigate the climate crisis, India must address the adversities faced by informal workers and chalk out plans.

The ongoing COP29 conference in Baku, is a pivotal moment in climate action, focusing on global cooperation to limit warming to 1.5°C. Key priorities include mobilising financial resources for developing countries to submit ambitious climate plans (NDCs) by 2025 and continuing support through the Fund for Loss and Damage (FRLD) established at COP28. COP29 also aims to strengthen adaptation efforts by setting finance-backed targets for the Global Goal on Adaptation.  While COP29 primarily focuses on international climate initiatives, India must address pressing domestic issues. One key group often overlooked is informal workers in Indian cities. Over 80% of India’s urban…

Similar Story

Status check: Key concerns remain as Chennai moves ahead with WTE plans

Greater Chennai Corporation's tender for the Waste-To-Energy plant is at the final stage; Here is what we know about the bidders

17,422 metric tonnes per day — that's the staggering amount of trash the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will generate in 30 years. Currently, Chennai produces 6,143 metric tonnes of waste daily, which adds to the growing piles in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dump yards. Like many other major cities, GCC is struggling to find a sustainable solution for waste management and has proposed a Waste-To-Energy (WTE) plant. However, the experiences of cities like Delhi are testimony to the significant environmental and health impacts of WTE plants. A recent The New York Times investigative report on the Delhi WTE reveals: "The government…