Bengaluru water crisis: Residents, hospitals struggle as water crisis deepens

PTC News Desk: Bengaluru, known as India's Silicon Valley, home to a significant portion of the country's tech workforce, is grappling with an unprecedented water crisis that has left residents and hospitals desperate for relief.

With just five showers a month, a shift from cooking to ordering out, and the utilisation of treated water for non-drinking purposes, Bengaluru's residents are facing immense challenges in securing even basic water supplies. NDTV's visit to drought-stricken areas shed light on the dire situation, as residents struggle to cope with diminishing water resources.

In suburban Babusapalya, residents heavily rely on water tankers for their daily needs, but this lifeline has dwindled significantly over the past few months. Despite attempts by the city administration to regulate tanker water rates, the high demand coupled with inadequate supply has exacerbated the crisis. A resident lamented, "We need four tankers daily, but we're barely receiving one or two. The situation has worsened over the past few months."

The water scarcity has taken a toll on hospitals as well. Brookfield Hospital near Whitefield, an area severely affected by the crisis, relies on water tankers for its operations, requiring a substantial volume of water daily, particularly for critical services like dialysis. Dr. Pradeep Kumar, a medical officer at Brookfield Hospital, highlighted the challenges, stating, "We are recycling water and using it along with regular water for washing and cleaning."

The situation has prompted Bengaluru's migrant tech workforce to explore work-from-home options as a means to reduce water consumption. However, the political arena is also heating up, with the Opposition BJP accusing the Congress government of neglecting the crisis.

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Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya criticised the government's inaction, stating, "The government failed to take precautionary measures, leading to this severe water crisis."

In response, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar dismissed the allegations, emphasising the need for larger-scale projects to address water scarcity issues. The gravity of the situation has even impacted discussions within cricket circles, with concerns raised about the feasibility of hosting IPL matches at the M Chinnaswamy cricket stadium amidst the ongoing crisis.

As Bengaluru grapples with dwindling water reserves, residents and authorities alike are urgently seeking solutions to alleviate the widespread suffering caused by the acute water shortage.

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(Inputs from agencies)

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