Bengaluru Water Crisis: Picture Cape Town of 2015. The one-in-400-years drought wracked havoc. Nearly five million people of one of the South Africa’s Capital cities were pushed to the brink. From taking short showers to flushing ‘only, when necessary,’ locals were told to save water like their lives depended on it. Between 2015 and 2019, Cape Town was the epicenter of worst water crisis that the world has ever seen. Cut to 2024. This time, its India’s Silicon Valley – Bengaluru. Numerous accounts of frustrated citizens have surfaced on Reddit, X and other social media platforms revealing the extent of the acute water shortage. From posh gated societies where a housing units can cost up to several crore to humble localities, people are lining up for their daily water supply. As the situation aggravates, here are top updates from Bengaluru:

  1. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on Tuesday announced immediate ban on usage of drinking water in the swimming pools across the city. In its order, BWSSB also said that those found violating the ban will be penalised. A fine of Rs 5,000 has been announced against the violators of the ban.
  2. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has denied the allegations that despite the severe crisis, the state is releasing water to Tamil Nadu. He said that Karnataka will not release Cauvery River water even if the Centre asks it to do so.
  3. According to several reports, water sources in numerous villages across the Karnataka have dried up. In capital city Bengaluru, there are nearly 14,000 borewells. Out of these, nearly half of them have gone dry. An official assessment by the state government shows that the next two months will be extremely crucial. Over 7,000 villages across the state and 1,000 wards including those in Bengaluru Urban district are likely to witness acute water shortage in next two months.
  4. Amid the crisis, the upcoming IPL matches may also face some issues. However, the host association, KSCA, is reassured about fulfilling the water requirements through its in-house sewage treatment plant. Shubendu Ghosh, CEO of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, remarked, “We are not encountering any crisis at present. We have received directives from the state government regarding water usage, and we, the office-bearers of KSCA, are in regular discussions to ensure compliance with the guidelines.”
  5. The urban distress has also taken toll on the techies of India’s Silicon Valley. Several reports say that many software engineers are leaving their rented accommodations in Bengaluru for their hometowns. Many, who have another house in different city, are relocating or switching to work from home are moving out of cyber hub.