Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Congress leader DK Shivakumar on Monday launched a scathing attack on the BJP alleging that the party was indulging in politics over the water shortage in Bengaluru. “BJP is planning a protest against the state government tomorrow, let them do what they want, first let them approach the central government and ask them to give permission to Mahadayi and Mekedaatu projects”, the Deputy Chief Minister said.
“There is no such scarcity of water in Bengaluru, it is the BJP that has created the scarcity, its what they’re doing, we are providing what we have been asked legally to Tamil Nadu. Our priority to provide water to Bengaluru” the Deputy CM added.
The Deputy CM highlighted that nearly 7 thousand borewells were running short in the city and efforts were on to address the issue.
“7 thousand Borewells became default out of 16 thousand borewells. We are trying all possible ways to provide water to people. The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) nodal officers are looking into the matter. We acted against the water tanker mafia by taking them to task, 1500 tankers have already been registered. There will be a board and number to see which are legal water provider tankers and illegal providers who are charging more. We are providing free water to slums. BJP indulging in politics, we are not concerned about it” DK Shivakumar said. DK Shivakumar who is also the nodal minister for Bengaluru says the government is working on multiple fronts to ensure the crisis is addressed.
“I don’t ask companies to work from home, that much scarcity hasn’t occurred yet, we are committed to provide water to Bangaloreans,” Shivakumar further said. Earlier on Sunday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah attacked the previous BJP government for not doing enough to address the water issue in the state.
“There was a BJP government from 2008-2013. At that time, no attention was paid to the projects of treating the waste water and filling the lakes. Lakes in Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Bangalore Rural, Tumkur, Anekal constituencies have dried up and the lake has been filled through KC Valley, HN Valley, Sanekal, Hoskote, Kadubeesanahalli projects. We did the work of providing water to Nelamangala and Tumkur districts. 150 crores have been spent on the project of filling water to 38 lakes which was inaugurated today. Our government has spent 2,809 crore rupees for KC Valley, HN Valley, Anekal, Hoskote project. 317 lakes have been filled in the first phase. 1,699 crore is being spent on the second phase of the works which are in progress. 392 lakes are being filled” the CM said.
