Reality of ‘drinking water’ tankers in Bengaluru – captured on video

Water tanker collects water stored in an abandoned land. Where will this water be supplied? Is it safe to drink such water, or to rely on water tankers for safe drinking water?

Look at this video. Rain water—rather more of a cesspool—greenish, smelly water—collected in an open abandoned granite mine, being filled in a “Drinking Water” tanker. The location is right next to RBD Stillwaters (next to Lakedew Lake/ Puravankara Skywoods), in Harlur near Parappana Agrahara Main Road and Kudlu Road, on the outskirts of Bengaluru.

Such tankers also deliver drinking water to many residential projects including apartments. They also deliver water for upcoming constructions in the nearby areas.

Banibrata Dutta, a concerned resident who lives in an apartment near Sarjapur Road, shot this video. He says: “Who knows, it could even be sold as drinking water! One can see a pile of garbage rotting right next to it… Sometimes some dead animals are also seen in this dump!”

Though the tanker is marked as ‘Drinking Water’ tank, it is possible that the blackish water is being sold to upcoming constructions. However, since nobody knows whether the tankers are cleaned after such use, Dutta says that same tanker used for this purpose and drinking water is not okay.

“Even if the water is not being supplied as drinking water but for construction purposes, the labourer families might be drinking this water,” he adds in his Facebook post. 

“Unscrupulous businesses will always exist… and they thrive because there is a disproportionate demand. Unless the demand side is fixed, there will always be such problems on the supply side. Judicious usage of water with lifestyle change is perhaps the answer,” he opines.

Related Articles

Cancer institutes under the lens: radioactive waste
One apartment wastes water, another pays
Bengaluru’s stark water shortage can get worse: new study
How much water is your ward in Bengaluru consuming each month?
Tanker water rates across Bengaluru, February 2015
Piped water supply contaminated, kids fall sick in apartment
Water tankers rule, no one to question
Water tankers: Making money when the sun shines and water flows!

Comments:

  1. Anand Balagopal says:

    This is just an example. Day in and day out – almost 24 hours water tankers ply in and out from Belegere road – the road that connects from Bellandur railway station to varthur police station.

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

Mumbai: Out of SRA purview, Jai Bhim Nagar residents stare at a rocky road ahead

Residents and activists continue to fight for rights of Jai Bhim Nagar residents despite several legal and administrative hurdles.

In the previous part of this series, we reported on the demolition of the Jai Bhim Nagar settlements in Powai and delved into the legally dubious history of Hiranandani Gardens where they stood. On October 5th, the Powai police filed an FIR against officials of BMC's S ward, Hiranandani Group (HGP Community Pvt Ltd), and four associates on the recommendation of the Bombay High Court for conducting unauthorised demolitions in Jai Bhim Nagar. The charges against the accused include criminal conspiracy, public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury, and furnishing false information among others.  About 100-150 families…

Similar Story

The fight over Jai Bhim Nagar: Whose land is it, anyway?

Settlers in Jai Bhim Nagar in Powai’s Hiranandani Gardens were forcefully evicted in June. And it’s a contentious move in more ways than one.

A tarp-covered shed on a busy sidewalk in Powai lights up every evening with the cacophony of children. The ‘sabki library’ is a makeshift after-school space for the children of Jai Bhim Nagar living on the sidewalk, where they show up diligently to study with volunteers from nearby IIT Bombay.  The library was set up there over three months ago, soon after the Jai Bhim Nagar settlement was demolished, and its residents forcibly evicted. While many residents from the 600-odd homes have shifted elsewhere since then, about 150-200 families still live on the streets surrounding the demolished slum. “We have…