Water supply to Indira Canteens in Bengaluru cut over payment dues

BENGALURU: One of the ambitious projects of the previous Congress government, the Indira Canteens, meant  for the urban poor, are now faced with a new problem — supply of water.

With the BBMP facing severe financial crunch, it is alleged that the civic body is not maintaining the canteens properly. Some of them are staring at closure as the BWSSB has cut water supply over unpaid bills and the staff are managing the Canteen  by bringing water from outside.

A water sump at an Indira Canteen premises has been empty for a year.

According to information available, water bills totalling Rs 40 lakh are pending in all the eight BBMP zones. The contractors running the canteens have brought this issue to the notice of the BBMP, but nothing has been done.

Some of the customers said, the taste, quality of the meal which served in the canteen is good and they visit three times a day, but are fed up of the water problem at the canteens.

Veerabadhra, a customer, said, “Sometimes, no water is available and at other times we have to wait for it. If there is permanent water source at the canteen it will be better”.

Regular customers Ravi and Veerabadhra said hygienic food is served at Indira Canteen and they come three times a day.

Another customer, Ravi said, “There is water problem in Indira Canteens. We used to come here during the lockdown too to have meals and they used to store water in large cans”.

Suvarna, a superviser at the Indira Canteen in Majestic said, “There is a problem of water supply. We are bringing water from outside for preparing meals here”.

Suvarna, superviser at an Indira Canteen said BWSSB cut water supply facility and they are getting water from outside.

She claimed, “The water board has cut water supply since the last one year so, we get water through tankers once every two days. We need at least 25 cans everyday and it costs about Rs 25 per can. We brought it to the notice of the BBMP, but no action has been taken. All the Indira Canteens are facing the same problem”, she said.