After banning on use of potable water for non-essential purposes, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has imposed a fine of Rs. 5k each on 22 families in Bengaluru for wasting Cauvery water and collected Rs. 1.1 lakh in fine. For disregarding its rule of using drinking water for car washing or gardening, mainly the South Bengaluru division is strict in imposing penalties on the offenders. According to officials, most of the complaints were received on social media. The southeast division received a penalty of Rs. 65000/-, Rs. 15000/- from the Southwest and East from each division; Rs. 10000/- from the North; and the lowest Rs. 5k from the Northeast division in the last three days.
BWSSB Chairman V. Ram Prasath Manohar said, “Seeing the extreme water crisis in B’luru our orders were in line with that. Under section 109 of the BWSSB act, the water board announced a fine of Rs. 5000 which would escalate to Rs. 500 per day for subsequent violations. We started enforcing orders on restriction from Friday afternoon. We collected spot fines from people and gave them receipts.” He further said that while there are six major activities and the focus in the first phase of enforcement has been car washing. All cases are based on our spot inspections and complaints from residents.
It is important to mention that as per the March 7th order, BWSSB has banned the use of water for entertainment, cleaning roads and construction activities as well. The board through its March 10th order said it would levy Rs. 5k fine against violators. Builders have been given strict orders to use the treated water. The board has also formed a call center to report any misuse of water in the city. BWSSB in the second week of January wrote to the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama to prioritize Bengaluru’s drinking needs and reserve water for the city at the Krishna Raja Sagara (KRS) and Kabini reservoirs. The demand was to reserve 12 tmcft of the 30tmcft available at the KRS and Kabini dams together at the time.