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Bengaluru: Amid the ongoing drinking water crisis in Bengaluru city, where water tanker prices have crossed the Rs 2,000 mark for the first time in the silicon city, the Karnataka Government has decided to mandate the self-registration of water tankers by March 7. Providing details, Chief Civic Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Tushar Giri Nath stated that the state government has decided following discussions with several stakeholders. He added that the Karnataka government aims to establish fixed prices for tanker loads.
“Following several complaints of water tanker prices skyrocketing over the last 15 days, we have decided to regulate the industry,” The Hindu quoted Nath as saying.
Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, in the State Assembly, stated that a quarter of Bengaluru’s water requirements are met by water tankers, prompting the state government to rethink on setting maximum prices for these services.
Reacting to lack of categorization for water tanker businesses, Nath said that neither the BBMP nor the BWSSB had registered water tankers. Transport Department’s data shows that more than 3,500 water tankers are operational in the city.
Nath said the state government will put an online platform live on March 1. “We are in the process of developing an online platform set to launch on March 1. All water tankers must self-register on this platform by March 7. Non-compliant tankers will be seized by the civic body and utilised to supply water to parched areas in 110 villages at no charge,” he said.
The BBMP is reaching out to all water tanker operators and will hold a meeting in next two days to discuss the price-fixing mechanism. This move will be taken to with an intention to prevent operators from incurring losses, and curbing the high pricing that has been excessively predatory in certain areas. The water tanker operators will be requested to provide their cost breakdowns, which the BBMP will be evaluated alongside market intelligence data.
Water truck businessmen in East Bengaluru aren’t particularly thrilled with the government’s attempts to set prices. They argue that the long hauls and rising costs of extraction aren’t factored into the decision. Contrary to popular belief, they claim their business isn’t all about amassing wealth.
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