Bengaluru Water Crisis: 22 Families Fined For Misusing Drinking Water

Authorities in Bengaluru have fined 22 families for allegedly misusing drinking water for non-essential activities like cleaning cars, as the city grapples with its worst water crisis in decades. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has collected fines totaling Rs 1.10 lakh in just three days.

BWSSB officials have urged Bengaluru residents to use water judiciously. "Most of the complaints are coming from the southeast of the city. Along with complaints, we are issuing warnings and appeals to people to use water sparingly," said BWSSB chairperson Ram Prashant Manohar.

The southwest area of the city alone accounts for fines worth Rs 65,000 out of the total Rs 1.10 lakh levied so far, officials noted.

Earlier this month, the BWSSB imposed a ban on using water for cleaning vehicles, gardening, building construction, running fountains, and other non-essential purposes.

"With temperatures rising daily and groundwater levels decreasing due to lack of rain, it is necessary to prevent water wastage in the city. It is essential for the public to use drinking water sparingly," read a BWSSB order.

In mid-March, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated that Bengaluru faced a shortage of 500 million litres of water per day (MLD) against the actual requirement of 2,600 MLD. He also mentioned that "out of 14,000 borewells in Bengaluru, 6,900 have dried up."