Published in Dwarka Express on 9.3.24

Bangalore has gone dry! All WhatsApp groups are busy with myriad number of forwards on water woes, and the worst part is, the same video clip is forwarded 3 or 4 times in the same group same day. An otherwise oblivious Bengalurian has suddenly become water cognizant. In his routine busy schedule, he may not even recollect when it was last raining. Yes, there is a long dry spell. Precisely, it was on 6^th November, 2023, when there was a heavy downpour in Bengaluru. After that, sadly, not even a remote sign of rain! It is the impact of climate change, grumbles someone. Whether climate change or otherwise, it is true that something is happening, maybe perhaps a fall out of El nino situation. Chennai is also under dry spell after the worst monsoon spell. South Bangalore is in worse situation. Some RWAs have issued circulars to the residents to cut the water usage by 20%. Security guards are deployed to check the misuse. It is given to understand that one RWA has instructed using disposable cutleries, without realizing that the disposables will increase the trash especially single use plastic (SUP). There is already a ban on SUPs.

Bangalore has two major sources of potable water. One is from river Cauvery, i.e., 1450 million per day (MLD) and another one is nearly half of it from ground water from borewells. With both north east and southwest monsoon failed, the state is running short of water. The capacity of Cauvery reservoir is reduced by 50%. Out of about 17000 borewells, almost 7000 are dried out already with the result the residents are left with no other option except to buy water from tankers. The tanker mafia has hiked the water charges to 4 times already. The state govt is going from pillar to post to quench the thirst of the Bengalurians. Even milk lorries are diverted for sourcing water from rural areas.

Lack of proper rain water harvesting, raising encroachments in the lakes and unmindful felling of trees only add fuel to the fire. As the population of the city is growing exponentially, the demand for subsistence needs a lot of expert planning. Urban planning expertise encompasses all aspects which include environmental care as well as infra development. Sustainable development is jeopardized by half baked projects, populist schemes and vote bank politics. Bangalore is not an isolated case.  The last decade has witnessed sea change in growth. This in fact has affected the popular tag of retirees’ paradise status. If situation worsens, the city will lose its charm and will no more be preferred destination. Someone is proclaiming that it is all due to mushrooming of IT companies. Superficially, it looks correct but it needs further study as the economic impact of MNCs and IT Companies cannot be ignored. It is true that every Bengalurian gazes at the passing clouds daily with an appeal to Rain God to show mercy. This is just March beginning. Another two months will witness impatient waiting to get a respite from scotching sun. Though the mercury has touched 34 degrees in Bangalore, a Delhiite perhaps may be grinning as he has to brave the annual ritual of 46 degrees in April – June.