Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, voiced grave concerns on Monday regarding the severe drought gripping the state, marking it as the most severe in the last 30 to 40 years. Addressing reporters in Bengaluru, Shivakumar highlighted the unprecedented nature of the current water scarcity, particularly affecting Bengaluru, the state capital.
“In the last 30-40 years we have not seen such a drought; though there was drought earlier, we had never declared such a large number of taluks as drought-affected,” Shivakumar expressed during the press briefing.
He further noted the alarming situation of approximately 6,900 borewells out of 13,900 becoming defunct in Bengaluru, exacerbating the water crisis. In response, the Karnataka government has initiated measures to mitigate the crisis by organizing tanker water supplies to affected areas.
Currently, Bengaluru, grappling with the aftermath of poor rainfall in 2023, is receiving 1,450 million litres per day (mld) of water from the Cauvery river, which falls short of the city’s total water requirement of 2,100 mld.
The gravity of the situation has prompted the district administration to intervene, fixing rates for 200 private tankers for a period of four months. This move comes as residents face mounting challenges in securing sufficient water for their daily needs.
Bengaluru’s water crisis has significantly impacted its residents, with approximately 60 per cent of the city’s population depending on tanker water, underscoring the urgency of addressing the water scarcity issue.
The unfolding crisis underscores the pressing need for sustainable water management strategies and heightened conservation efforts to mitigate the impact of recurring droughts in the region.