Rs 100 crores pending BWSSB bills likely to be waived for slum dwellers

BENGALURU: Food and civil supplies minister Dinesh Gundu Rao is likely to recommend to the chief minister to waive BWSSB water bills of many living in economically weaker sections. BWSSB officials estimate that the number could come close to Rs 1000 crore, built up over the last 3-5 years.

Gundu Rao was speaking at a meeting of residents of EWS quarters, organised by Karnataka Kolageri Nivasigala Samyukta Sanghatance (KKNSS).

According to many of the residents of EWS quarters and slums, while taps and metres had been fixed, no water reached them in areas such as DJ Halli, Koramangala belt, Jayanagar, Thilak Nagar and Shanthinagar areas.

“However, every month we would get a bill of Rs 100, which we refused to pay simply because we didn’t get any water. But every month, a bill amount and a fine/ interest for the pending amount was added to the bill and by the end of the year, residents had inadvertently fallen into debts running into thousands,” said Leelavathi, President, KKSS, Bangalore.

Responding to the complaints, Gundu Rao said that this was an issue that needed to be resolved. “We have to come to a final decision in this regard and maybe look at waiving this amount. However, it will have to be discussed with the Chief Minister. It is unlikely that he will say the amount cannot be waived,” Rao said.

Vision group to have a sub- committee for slum development

Dinesh Gundu Rao announced that the Vision group, formed to look ahead and plan the city’s development will also have a sub-committee looking at the needs of slum dwellers in the city.

He was responding to criticism from EWS residents who said in the three years since Siddaramaiah became chief minister, not one meeting was held with the residents to address their concerns. “Now Bangalore in charge minister KJ George has made a group to look at the city’s development, but we were never consulted nor our needs looked at. When will our concerns be addressed?” Ruth Manorama asked.

Apart from promising a sub-committee into the vision group, Gundu Rao also promised that once every month, similar meetings will be held in local areas with concerned officials to look at problems faced by EWS residents.

Water and ration biggest complaints

Water and discrepancies in ration and the PDS constituted the largest number of complaints from residents.

From the lack of a water connection, to lack of water supply despite the availability of connections, free taps and installed metres, complaints against BWSSB was among the most reiterated.

“We have to stand in queues for hours together in DJ halli, before we can get a few pot full of water. We have no water to bath our children before school and because of the shortage of water, people have begun throwing away used clothes simply because they do not have water to wash it,” said Yashodhamma, a resident of DJ Halli.

“In Shanthinagar ISRO slum, we have no water supply and were dependent on borewells. But borewells too have run dry now If occasionally some water comes, it is more often than not, contaminated becauase the sewage line and the drinking water line run together, right next to each other,” said Chandrappa, a resident of the area.

BWSSB officials however chanted their message of Cauvery pipeline and wastage of water.

“You have to remember that we are spending close to Rs 50 crore in power bills to pump water from the Cauvery basin up to Bangalore, which is a plateau. And when water is provided, it is wasted,” said Mohammad Arif, Executive Engineer, representing BWSSB.

However, activist Ruth Manorama retorted to the statements saying, “There are houses in Bangalore where there is water for a swimming pool, fountains, for maintaining lawns and washing cars. We do not have drinking water, we know the value of water and know not to waste it,” she said, adding that nstead of wasting time with stereotypical statements, officials prioritise the next phase of drinking water project and provide it to those desperately in need.

Other announcements:

Addressing complaints of kerosene being sold in black from PDS centres, Rajanna, Dy director, Food and Civil Supplies Department said that the government was soon bringing out coupons that would be distributed among BPL card holders. “Every drop of kerosene will be accounted for with these coupons,” Rajanna said, confident that the system would plug leakage of ration.

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