Kuvempu nagar: Water a scarce commodity

By Sanjay R Murty | NT

Bengaluru has at least three localities called Kuvempu Nagar. The BBMP’s ward 11 has also been named Kuvempu Nagar ward as it is the area at the heart of this ward. The ward stretches from Gangamma Circle in Jalahalli to MS Palya from south to north, and Vidyaranyapura to Shettyhalli (Jalahalli West) from east to west.

At the very centre of this ward is the Jalahalli East Air Force Station. This divides the ward into Kuvempu Nagar and Singapura on one side of the Defence complex and M S Palya, Vaishnavi Layout, Sai Garden and other small areas attached to Vidyaranyapura on the other.

Like several other wards, the core is well maintained compared to the peripheral areas under ward 11. Kuvempu Nagar ward has very few ugly spots where garbage is dumped carelessly. In the neighbouring ward, one can see garbage dumped along main roads. Whereas, in the Kuvempu Nagar ward, even the internal roads are relatively cleaner.

Vaishnavi Layout is an isolated region situated between Vidyaranyapura ward and the Air Force Station. Not all residents seem to be sure if their place comes under ward 11 or ward 9 (Vidyaranyapura).

Residents of Vaishnavi Layout have been waiting for their road to be asphalted. Some roads were asphalted in the past, but are now in need of repair. Some other roads were never asphalted. The area is part of the Byatarayanapura Assembly Constituency.

The MLA has put up a banner announcing that the roads of the layout would be given a facelift at a cost of Rs 62 lakh. The roadside drains in the layout are now being renovated with concrete slabs.

The water supply is inadequate here, according to a resident. “Although we get water twice a week, the pipes are not wide enough to ensure adequate supply. Wider pipes have been laid till the neighbouring layout, but are yet to be extended to ours,” he said.

Garbage collection is the only aspect about which the residents of Vaishnavi Layout seem satisfied.

Sai Garden is a small layout adjacent to Vaishnavi Layout where residents have similar problems. Although the roads of Sai Garden are good, they were dug up at several places by telecom service providers to lay broadband cables.

“They restored it only after weeks of appeal and outcry,” a resident said and added that some spots have not yet been restored. She said that the layout has a borewell but the connection has not been provided. “We are finding it difficult to manage with the amount of water we receive from BWSSB. Though we have a borewell in our layout, it is not connected to individual houses. This task needs to be taken up,” the resident added.

She told News Trail on the condition of anonymity that the area has a stray-dog problem. Apart from there being many dogs, she also pointed out that a couple of them were very sick and they should be taken to an animal care facility.

A resident of Singapura told News Trail that he grew up in Singapura and had seen the transition of the area from the time it was a panchayat. He said the roadside drains of the area could be improved. “The existing ones which are lined with stone slabs were made long ago. They need renovation and maintenance, especially in view of the approaching monsoon. BBMP cleans the shoulder drains, but they need to be lined by new concrete slabs,” he said.

“We do not get adequate water here. That is mainly because not many houses have a metered connection. This might be a reason why the authorities hesitate to supply large quantities of water,” he added.

The ward’s Nodal Officer claimed that many residents have not got a water meter installed. He also mentioned that BWSSB and Bescom have undertaken road cutting to provide services, but have not restored them completely. “Restoration of roads by telecom service providers is also not up to our expected standard,” he said.

The reason for efficient waste management in the wards is a strict Health Inspector who follows up often on the work done by the collection teams, according to the Nodal Officer.

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