Private individuals providing Cauvery water connections after collecting money

BENGALURU: With temperatures rising, some localities in the city are already facing water shortages. The chairman of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and other officials have already said they are taking various measures to ensure that there is no water problem this time.

However, some private plumbers are taking advantage of the situation by digging up roads in R K Hegde Nagar and Thanisandra under Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency and charging residents for water connections. They’re claiming to have been authorised by water board officials and are charging anywhere between Rs 4,000 and 20,000 for the connections. They don’t even cap the connections in some places.

BWSSB AEE Rajesh of Yelahanka subdivision visited Rasool Layout and inspected the site, where they dug up the road and pipe collection was provided.

The engineer got information from locals about the road digging and spoke to the plumber on the phone. The water board has warned that only authorised officials can provide water connections, and private plumbers are not allowed to dig up roads without permission.

Locals are complaining that they’ve paid for water connections, but haven’t got them yet. They claim that the plumbers are not responding to their queries and are instead threatening them.

The water board has advised residents to contact its local office for legitimate water connections. The Hegde Nagar police station has also received a complaint against private plumbers, and an investigation is under way. The water board has also initiated an inquiry into the matter.Locals are demanding action against the private plumbers and water board officials who are allegedly involved in the scam. The water board has assured residents that it will take stern action against anyone found guilty of involvement in the scam.

Rajesh, AEE, Yelahanka BWSSB, “We will register an FIR against the engineers and plumbers who provided illegal water connections. Also, we will put them on the blacklist. Those who want Cauvery water should pay the fixed amount to BBMP and get permission from us; only then do they get a metered connection for Cauvery water. The authorised plumbers can do this work.”

The AEE further said, “This is not right, and we will file a complaint at the Hegde Nagar police station against plumbers including Chowdappa, Chandru and Kalandar, who were providing water connection without the permission of the authorities”.

Reacting to the illegal water connections, BWSSB chairman Ram Prasat Manohar said, “I did not know about this so far. If that’s the case, I will send engineers to get a ground report and make sure that a criminal case is filed against those private plumbers. Permission from the authorities is mandatory to get a Cauvery water connection”.

Roads have been dug up everywhere without permission from the authorities. Some people paid money directly, while others paid through intermediaries. Even a week after paying the money, water has not reached the houses. When residents questioned this, they are threatened, locals say.

Residents alleged that when they went to the Water Board office and inquired about the water connection, the officials suggested they contact these same local people. Now the citizens are raising questions whether BWSSB officials are involved in these illegal water connections scam.