The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : BWSSB told to supply Cauvery water to Bellandur

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Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BWSSB told to supply Cauvery water to Bellandur

B.S. Ramesh

Residents petition court for supply of potable water
They are getting water from borewells

BANGALORE:

There was much relief and joy for thousands of residents of Bellandur and surrounding areas when the Lok Adalat, coming under the aegis of Karnataka High Court, directed the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to provide Cauvery water to the village.

The direction comes after months of sittings of the Lok Adalat in which the Bench of Justice K.L. Manjunath and Yellappa Reddy, former IAS officer and noted environmentalist, cajoled the agencies, including the BWSSB, and others to initiate steps to provide potable water to Bellandur.

Though the village adjoins the Bellandur Lake, the water body is highly polluted and scientific studies have said it is unfit for human consumption. With even the ground water depleting and other sources of water becoming equally polluted or scarce, residents had no other go but to move the High Court.

The court, in turn, referred the matter to the Lok Adalat, saying that it would be better if all the parties managed to come up with a workable solution to the water problem.

When the Lok Adalat sittings commenced, the Bench was told about the difficulty of the agencies in providing piped water supply to Bellandur. Villagers complained to the adalat that though it had passed an order on November 24, 2006, directing the BWSSB to supply Cauvery water to villages around Bellandur Lake, no action had been taken till now.

Several residents told The Hindu that they are only getting water from borewells, which is chlorinated by the BWSSB.

The BWSSB says it has already prepared a plan at a cost of Rs. 6.25 crore for supply of potable water to residents of Bellandur. Though the estimate of the project was sent to the panchayat on January 29, 2007, the panchayat has not deposited the amount so far.

It says 100 of the 2,250 households own borewells in Bellandur. There are also eight public borewells.

The Lok Adalat directed the BWSSB to provide Cauvery water by constructing public tanks. It also told the BWSSB to provide water supply to the entire village if the panchayat paid the amount.

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