Bengaluru: ‘If water crisis continues for 2 months, we'll have to serve food in..,’ says hotel manager amid shortage

Amid the water crisis in Bengaluru, hotel and restaurant managers have raised concerns as the summer approaches.

The owner of Nisarg Grand Hotel, Krishna Raj told ANI, “Since the summer is approaching, the water shortage is causing a lot of trouble, especially in the hotel business where we need a lot of water for cleaning, cooking, and drinking. All hotels are dependent on tankers for water supply.”

He added that if the current trend persists, requiring 3-4 tankers of water daily, and with tanker prices soaring from ₹800 to ₹1600-1700, they may need to consider switching to disposable utensils for serving food to our customers within the next two months.

Meanwhile, PTI reported that the civic authorities in Bengaluru have decided to fill the drying lakes with 1,300 million litres per day of treated water to replenish groundwater sources in the city, where about 50 per cent of the borewells have dried up.

Also Read: Karnataka water crisis: 185 lake beds to be tapped to meet water shortage, says Bengaluru Water Supply Board chairman

“Aimed at managing the water crisis in Bengaluru, the civic body Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will also install filter borewells and construct water plants using an innovative technology near the restored lake beds to supply water after testing,” BWSSB officials said.

BWSSB officials have stated that these initiatives, conducted in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), are aimed at supplying tested water. BWSSB Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar mentioned that this effort is anticipated to contribute approximately 20–30 million liters per day (MLD) of water to the system.

In a bid to tackle the water mafia, the government has taken over private water tankers, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is also in-charge for Bengaluru development, said.

Also Read: Bengaluru water crisis: Karnataka govt bans drinking water for non-essential use, imposes ₹5,000 fine

"About 50 per cent of the borewells in the city have dried up. We have decided to take control of thousands of private water tankers (by registering) to supply water from sources outside the city. We have left the pricing to officials as factors like distance travelled determine costs. Unused milk tankers will be used to ferry water," Shivakumar said.

Meanwhile, the opposition BJP has planned a protest in the city on Monday against the alleged mismanagement of the water crisis in Bengaluru. Responding to this, Shivakumar said, “If they give any constructive suggestions, we are certainly open to considering them.”

(With inputs from agencies)