Page 4 - Water Crisis

Located on river bank, Srisailam Assembly poll focuses on water crisis

Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 'water water everywhere but not a drop to drink' line aptly describes the paradox of rural families of the Srisailam assembly constituency in Andhra Pradesh, who battle to get water although living near a dam. Many of the residents of Sunnipenta village in Srisailam mandal, located just 5-7 km away from the Srisailam dam, are getting piped water supply once a week and at times once in ten days. The low level of water in the dam owing to lack of rainfall has further aggravated the water woes here, an issue which has taken the centre stage in the political campaign ahead of the May 13 Assembly polls. Out of five mandals in Srisailam Assembly Constituency having around 1.9 lakh voters, the problem of water shortage is acute in Srisailam and Atmakur mandals. "We have lived with water scarcity for many years and nothing has changed. It's been seven days, there is no piped water supply, " said Hussain who runs a cold drinks shop at the Sunnipenta bus stand. Ahe

India faced double wrath of heatwave and water disasters in 2023: WMO

Asia remained the world's most disaster-hit region from weather, climate, and water-related hazards in 2023

In world of extreme weather, plan financial inclusion for the weakest

Poor households are the most vulnerable in extreme weather. Women bear a disproportionate burden as they source scarce water and work in high temperatures

Cholera outbreak comes knocking to Bengaluru amidst acute water shortage

The city reported one confirmed case and two suspected cases of cholera from the same locality

Bengaluru issues advisory for seasonal diseases amid cholera fear

Municipality says it is stepping up awareness about disease transmission and sanitation

Against the flow

Urban water crisis demands alternative management

Former PM Deve Gowda bats for Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir project

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Sunday batted for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir Project across the Cauvery river, which neighbouring Tamil Nadu has been opposing. Tamil Nadu contends that the balancing reservoir will take away its share of Cauvery water and hence it has been opposing it. In a press release, Gowda said the reservoir is necessary to provide drinking water to Bengaluru City and also regulated release of water to Tamil Nadu, including water release during lean periods. Bengaluru is India's IT capital and it is second Silicon City in the world after San Francisco, he said, adding that at present the capacity of Cauvery water supply to Bengaluru city is 18 TMC (Thousand Million Cubic Feet). The population of Bengaluru as noted by the Supreme Court was 96 lakh in 2011 whereas its present population has touched a phenomenal 1.35 crore, Gowda noted. He added that the projected population of Bengaluru metropolitan region for 2044 would be abou

Taps run dry across S Africa's Johannesburg in unprecedented water crisis

For two weeks, Tsholofelo Moloi has been among thousands of South Africans lining up for water as the country's largest city, Johannesburg, confronts an unprecedented collapse of its water system affecting millions of people. Residents rich and poor have never seen a shortage of this severity. While hot weather has shrunk reservoirs, crumbling infrastructure after decades of neglect is also largely to blame. The public's frustration is a danger sign for the ruling African National Congress, whose comfortable hold on power since the end of apartheid in the 1990s faces its most serious challenge in an election this year. A country already famous for its hours long electricity shortages is now adopting a term called water-shedding the practice of going without water, from the term load-shedding, or the practice of going without power. Moloi, a resident of Soweto on the outskirts of Johannesburg, isn't sure she or her neighbours can take much more. They and others across South Africa'

Bengaluru real estate developers cast a green lifeline amid water crisis

Incorporating the latest sustainability technologies does cost more, but most customers are increasingly willing to invest extra for these advanced features

B'luru water woes: Citizens in tech capital get innovative to tackle crisis

From exploring work from home (WFH) option and shifting to a place with better water facilities and taking bath on alternate days--citizens of India's tech capital are trying every possible thing to deal with an unprecedented water crisis that has gripped the city. The woes have become a serious issue of concern for Bengalureans , especially in Whitefield, KR Puram, Electronic City, RR Nagar, Kengeri and CV Raman Nagar. Those staying in high rise apartments with water harvesting facilities are also now dependent on tankers for drinking water and many restrictions have been imposed. Eateries in Bengaluru are mulling over use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water. Posters with catchy slogans -- "no rain no water," "water water everywhere but not a drop to drink", "conserve water", among others have been put up at many schools and building associations. Educational institutions are also feeling the pinch. Recently, a coaching centre in the city asked i

Bengaluru water crisis: With no end in sight, city scrambles to save water

Bengaluru is facing one of the water crises in years due to poor rainfall last year, what IMD has attributed as the El Nino effect

Will not release single drop of water to TN: K'taka CM amid water shortage

According to local reports, water sources in many villages across the state have dried up. The problem has been further compounded by the depletion of groundwater

Bengaluru warning

India must address water shortages

Bengaluru's water crisis is a call for urgent action amidst urban chaos

Tech firms embrace innovative water conservation measures, residents make do with less

B'luru water crisis: Legal action against drilling unauthorised borewells

Amid the water crisis, the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has said it will take legal action against those drilling unauthorised borewells within the city limits. Starting March 15, people can seek permission for drilling borewells by submitting their applications on the official website of the Board and approval will be granted based on site inspection by the concerned officials, it said. BWSSB said in an order that before drilling borewells for personal or other use in Bengaluru city, it is mandatory to obtain permission from concerned authorities as per section 11 of Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2011. It cited lack of adequate rainwater as a reason for decline in ground water level and said many borewells in the city have dried up. Officials also suspect that ground water level in the city is also decreasing due to "unscientific drilling" of borewells. According to the order, borewells should be drilled on

Karnataka didn't witness such severe drought in last 3-4 decades: Dy CM

Amid the acute water shortage in Bengaluru, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Monday the State had not witnessed such a severe drought in the past three-four decades. "In the last 30-40 years we had not seen such drought; though there was drought earlier we had never declared such a large number of taluks as drought-affected,", he told reporters here. "Wherever Cauvery river water has to be supplied, (it) is being done, but out of 13,900 odd borewells in Bengaluru, about 6,900 borewells have become defunct," he said. Shivakumar said the government has taken "things under its control" and arranged tankers to supply water.

No scarcity of water in B'luru, BJP created it: Dy CM Shivakumar slams govt

The Deputy CM highlighted that nearly 7 thousand borewells were running short in the city and efforts were on to address the issue

Hoteliers consider using disposables as water crisis deepens in Bengaluru

In the wake of the water scarcity, hoteliers in Bengaluru are mulling the use of disposable cups, glasses and plates to avoid excess use of water. The hoteliers are praying for good rain around Yugadi (Kannada new year) time to overcome the crisis. "Most of our borewells have gone dry and we are dependent on water tankers. If there is no rain around Yugadi, then we will have to make alternative arrangements," Karnataka State Hoteliers Association president Chandrashekar Hebbar told PTI on Saturday. According to him, 90 per cent of the water goes for washing utensils and which eventually goes down the drain. "Now we are seriously exploring 'use and throw' material as an option," Hebbar said. The hotelier said it will be a costly affair but the expenditure on the disposable materials will be passed on to the customers. "We are feeling the heat of the water scarcity in Bengaluru. We are praying for good rain around Yugadi," the KSHA president said. Meanwhile, the civic agency in ..

K'taka bans use of drinking water for car washing, gardening, imposes fine

As per the Bengaluru district administration, for up to 5 km, a 6000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 600, an 8000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 700, and a 12,000-litre water tanker will cost Rs 1000

Karnataka faces acute water crisis due to poor rainfall, B'luru worst hit

A coaching centre in Vijayanagar in Bengaluru asked its students to attend classes online due to an 'emergency' for a week. Similarly, a school on Bannerghatta Road in the city shut down, asking the students to attend classes virtually. The 'emergency' is the acute water crisis. Karnataka, especially its capital, is facing one of the worst water crisis in recent years due to poor rainfall in 2023. The Indian Meteorology Department has attributed the scanty rains to El Nino effect. One can gauge the grim situation from the fact that water tankers were seen inside Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office residence on Kumarakrupa Road in Bengaluru. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the borewell in his house in Sadashivanagar in the state capital has gone dry for the first time. This happened despite the fact that Sadashivanagar is located next to Sankey Lake. Water tankers running frequently on the Bengaluru roads have become a common sight now. On normal days, the w