Hoteliers mulling use of disposable materials as water crisis deepens in city

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In the wake of the water scarcity, hoteliers in Bengaluru are mulling the use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water.

The hoteliers are praying for good rain around Yugadi (Kannada new year) time to overcome the crisis.

"Most of our borewells have gone dry and we are dependent on water tankers. If there is no rain around Yugadi, then we will have to make alternative arrangements," Karnataka State Hoteliers Association president Chandrashekar Hebbar told PTI on Saturday.

According to him, 90 per cent of the water goes for washing utensils and which eventually goes down the drain.

"Now we are seriously exploring 'use and throw' material as an option," Hebbar said.

The hotelier said it will be a costly affair but the expenditure on the disposable materials will be passed on to the customers.

"We are feeling the heat of the water scarcity in Bengaluru. We are praying for good rain around Yugadi," the KSHA president said.

Meanwhile, the civic agency in Bengaluru has appointed nodal officers for each ward in the city to address the water woes after capping the water prices between Rs 600 and Rs 1,000 per tanker.

Many residents' welfare associations have complained that the capping of water prices per tanker did not help them as the water suppliers are still charging exorbitantly.

People in need of water are afraid of antagonising the water suppliers and are forced to pay whatever is charged, he said. The BJP hit out at the ruling Congress for failing to provide drinking water.

"In the midst of the outcry of 'no water', we are getting to know that there is uninterrupted supply of beer. Water cannot fetch revenue but beer can. The government is concentrating on revenue. We must admire the government," the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka told reporters here.

To ease situation government is pushing for Mekedatu balancing reservoir project.

Residents taken for a ride

Three days after the government had ordered price caps of tankers, residents have complained that these tankers have still resorted to demanding prices higher than the price cap.

Srinath Seetharam, who lives in an independent house at Balaji Layout near Hemmigepura, claims that the authorities need to be transparent with regards to the registered tankers.

“This will give us the choice to hire the right tankers for a fair price. Despite government orders, residents here are shelling out much more than the set price,” he claimed.

Reports also confirm the same. Residents have now shelled up to Rs.2000 for a 12,000 liter tanker. “A few tankers, not far away, demand Rs. 1500 for 6000 liters,” Seetharam said.

Deputy CM Shivakumar welcomes opposition inputs on water crisis

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar is open to receiving constructive suggestions from the Opposition regarding the water crisis, as he expressed during a press interaction at his Sadashivanagar residence.

He highlighted the government's proactive approach in addressing the crisis by taking on the water mafia and gaining control over private water tankers, marking a historic move for the state.

Shivakumar pointed out that nearly 50% of the city's bore wells have run dry, leading the government to commandeer private water tankers for transporting water from sources outside the city.

The pricing for water supply through tankers will be determined by officials, considering factors such as distance travelled. In response to media concerns about the worsening water crisis, Shivakumar emphasised the significance of water conservation and public awareness about its value.

He advocated for responsible water usage, discouraging practices like wasteful car washing.

When questioned about the appointment of a nodal officer specifically for Bengaluru Rural constituency, Shivakumar attributed it to the heavy reliance on bore well water sources in that area.