Latest news with #SaralaCauvery
Hans India
27-05-2025
- General
- Hans India
Poor response to ‘Sarala Cauvery' scheme
Bengaluru: Bengaluru's ambitious 'Sarala Cauvery' scheme, launched to make Cauvery water connections more affordable, has seen poor public response with only 144 applications received so far. Introduced under the Cauvery Phase 5 project, the scheme allows residents to pay 20 per cent of the connection fee upfront and the rest in 12 monthly EMIs. However, many citizens are hesitant due to issues such as lack of occupancy certificates, high initial costs, and previous disputes with builders. Despite a target of 4 lakh connections, the initiative is struggling to gain traction. Under the Cauvery 5th phase scheme, 775 MLD of water has been brought and is being supplied to 110 villages and other areas. The amount of water supplied to the city has increased to 2,225 million litres from this scheme. The target was to provide 4 lakh water connections under the Cauvery 5th phase scheme. The water board is struggling to reach this target and the 'Sarala Cauvery' scheme was launched on May 9. However, this too is not getting the expected response from the people. Those who are unable to pay the full pro-rata fee have been given a two-month opportunity to get water connections under the 'Sarala Cauvery' scheme. They have been allowed to pay 20 per cent of the demand notice issued by the water board and the remaining 80 per cent of the fee has been paid through EMI for 12 months. This opportunity is not given to industrial and commercial buildings. So far, about 83,000 water connections have been sanctioned under the Cauvery Phase 5 scheme. Out of these, 59,273 connections have been given in 110 villages. However, only 144 applications have been submitted under the 'Sarala Cauvery' scheme. Out of these, 57 connections have been provided. Residents of the metropolis are not being provided with relevant documents including the Occupancy Certificate (OC) to get water connections. Some others are lamenting that they cannot afford the pro-rata fee. Thus, they are resorting to tanker water provided at a fixed rate by the water board itself. If you get a water connection, you have to pay a fee even if you don't use the water. Also, the water fee has also increased. They are hesitating to take advantage of the 'Sarala Cauvery' scheme because they have to spend money even to get the connection. Some apartment residents have already paid the water connection fee to the builders in the beginning. However, the builders have not paid that money to the Water Board. Therefore, the residents are hesitating to pay the money again. The water board has proposed to provide Cauvery connection to small houses and plot owners by paying a fee of Rs 1000. It is intended to provide connection to small houses with an area of 600 sq feet and less. Water board sources said that 6000-8000 such houses have been identified. The fee for residential buildings including apartments is at Rs 400 (per sq ft), non-residential, commercial buildings - Rs 600 (per sq ft) Many people have been delayed in submitting their applications due to inability to provide possession certificate and other documents. There is still time to apply under the Saral Cauvery scheme. It has been decided to provide water connection to 6000-8000 small houses for Rs 1000, said Dr Ram Prasath Manohar, Chairman of the Water Board
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board launches two schemes to improve water access, take on tanker mafia
Bengaluru: Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board launched two initiatives — Sanchari Cauvery and Sarala Cauvery — to expand access to piped water and regulate the city's exploitative water tanker Sarala Cauvery scheme, apartment complexes can pay 20% of water connection charges upfront, with the remaining 80% will be payable in instalments over one-year period. For small homes measuring up to 600 square feet, a nominal fee of Rs 1,000 will be charged for providing water connection, making it easier for low-income households to access piped the growing issue of private water tanker operators charging exorbitant rates — from Rs 500 to Rs 3,000 per load — the govt launched Sanchari Cauvery (mobile Cauvery) service to supply clean water at fixed and affordable prices through BWSSB-operated tankers. The pricing structure under the new initiative has been set at Rs 660 for 4,000 litres, Rs 700 for 5,000 litres, Rs 740 for 6,000 litres and Rs 1,290 for 12,000 the first phase, 250 branded tankers have been deployed. They will deliver water within 24 hours of booking, marking a major step in addressing the city's water chief minister DK Shivakumar said, "BWSSB has been incurring losses for years and did not revise water rates since 2014. Following the tariff revision, several banks expressed interest in providing financial support to the board." Citing earlier attempts made during JH Patel's tenure to privatise the board, he said the govt decided to retain control of utilities like water and electricity and instituted a rule that only IAS officers should head recordsShivakumar unveiled plans to deliver property records directly to homeowners, much like water connections. As part of this initiative, errors in property records will be rectified and documents delivered without the need to pay bribes to middlemen. Through Nambike Naksha scheme, citizens can obtain engineer-approved building plans without visiting BBMP offices. A related convention will be held within 15 days.
Deccan Herald
09-05-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
D K Shivakumar flags off 'Sanchari Cauvery' to bust water tanker mafia
Speaking after launching two programmes — Sanchari Cauvery and Sarala Cauvery — Shivakumar said water tankers in the city were overpriced, with many charging up to Rs 3,000 per tanker.
The Hindu
09-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Amidst rising water tanker prices, BWSSB launches Sanchari Cauvery initiative
The much-awaited Sanchari Cauvery initiative, where the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) will provide Cauvery water in tankers, was launched on Friday. Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who launched the Kaveri on Wheels app on Friday, said the it was brought to control the 'water tanker mafia'. 'This water tanker mafia has drilled over 3,000 borewells and have been fleecing people up to ₹3,000 per load of water. We have started this initiative to curb this. Bengaluru is the first city in the country to provide BIS certified drinking water from a river in tankers,' he said. BWSSB has roped in 250 water tankers and established 55 Cauvery Connect Centres, essentially large water tankers, mostly in the outer zones to run the initiative, said Ram Prasath Manohar, chairman, BWSSB. He also said the board has launched the dedicated app and a website for citizens to book water tankers. 'Customers can book water tankers, make the payment, and track the tankers on the app. Water will be delivered within 24 hours,' he said. Details of the tanker and the driver will also be shared, and a helpline will be available for grievance redressal, he added. The cost of a 12,000-litre tanker load of water supplied by BWSSB will be ₹1,290, within a 2-km radius and ₹70 a km thereafter. Residents of the outer zones still dependent on water tankers lament that it has been launched only as the summer is drawing to a close and the monsoon will set in less than three weeks. 'This is a great initiative, the decision for which was taken when the crisis was at its peak. But by the time it has been implemented, the summer is almost drawing to a close,' said Jagadish Reddy of Varthur Rising. However, BWSSB sources said that this would not be limited to the summer alone and will be a permanent programme. Meanwhile, the prices of water tankers in the city have crossed the ₹1,500 and ₹1,700 mark for a tanker load of 12,000 litres in areas where apartments are still to get water connections under Cauvery V Stage. A businessman who runs a fleet of water tankers in Mahadevapura zone, who did not wish to be named, said that with the Cauvery V Stage, the demand had indeed fallen in some pockets and that had hit the overall business of water tankers. 'We have a few pockets and apartments who still have contracts with us. Meanwhile, groundwater levels have been depleting, and diesel prices increased this summer sending the costs of extracting and transporting groundwater northwards. Given that we also have lost customers this summer, we are forced to jack up prices and recover our costs from the existing customer base,' he said. Sarala Cauvery EMI option for Cauvery connections Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) also launched Sarala Cauvery, an initiative where residents get an option to pay the charges to get a connection in 12 EMIs, on Friday. While apartment complexes can make a down payment of 20% of the total charges initially and pay the rest in 12 EMIs, connections for houses less than 600 sq. ft, mostly the urban poor, can get a new connection by paying just ₹1,000 and pay the rest in 12 EMIs. 'This initiative is designed to support the urban poor, middle-class families, and apartment communities,' Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar said. ₹100 crore set aside for Cauvery Aarti at KRS Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D. K. Shivakumar said the Water Resources Department had set aside ₹100 crore to conduct Cauvery Aarti, on the lines of Ganga Aarti at Krishnaraja Sagar. 'We have formed a committee, including Departments of Kannada and Culture, Tourism and Muzrai Departments, and BWSSB chairman Ram Prasath Manohar who successfully conducted Cauvery Aarti at Sankey Tank in Bengaluru has been appointed its chairman,' he said. Sources said that the government was planning to make seating arrangements for 10,000 people at the venue and the event will likely be held during Dasara celebrations later this year. The programme has drawn criticism from multiple quarters, including Peoples' Union of Civil Liberties Karnataka, who have said the money should be instead used to clear the river of pollution. Meanwhile, Mr. Shivakumar brushed aside opposition to the ₹1,900 crore project to fill tanks in Nelamangala with treated water from the Vrishabhavathi Valley, for which he laid the foundation stone on Thursday. He said the project had been successful in Kolar and the water will further get purified when it steeps into the ground and recharge the groundwater level. He also said those opposing the project were not farmers. No tourists at dams Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the State government has not only tightened security at all dams in the State, but had also banned tourists visiting any dams. 'Only technical personnel will be allowed near dams till further orders. This is a matter of national security and people must cooperate,' he said.
India Today
09-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Bengaluru launches state-run water tankers at subsidised rates amid crisis
In a bid to tackle the city's water scarcity and reduce dependence on unregulated private tankers, the Karnataka government on Thursday launched 'Sanchari Cauvery' — a government-managed, tech-enabled drinking water delivery system — offering doorstep delivery of BIS-certified Cauvery water at subsidised by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in front of the Vidhana Soudha, the initiative is to ensure affordable and accountable water supply, particularly to those living in areas where piped Cauvery water has not yet reached. The scheme comes at a time when concerns over groundwater depletion and the so-called 'tanker mafia' are mounting across Sanchari Cauvery, residents can book water tankers via a new mobile app or web portal, track delivery vehicles in real-time using GPS, make online payments and verify the delivery through a mandatory OTP system. The service promises delivery within 24 hours, even during high-demand periods, and is supported by a 24/7 helpline for grievances. All tankers will carry drinking water certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The government also launched Sarala Cauvery, which allows residents to obtain new piped water connections through simplified, instalment-based payments. Homes under 600 can now pay just Rs 1,000 upfront and spread the remaining cost over 12 months. Larger homes and apartments can pay 20% of the charges initially, with the balance paid in monthly instalments. The aim is to make new connections affordable to urban poor, middle-income households, and apartment Sanchari Cauvery and the parallel scheme Sarala Cauvery reflect our commitment to accessible, transparent, and citizen-first water services,' said Shivakumar. He added that the government's approach combines inclusivity with technology to address Bengaluru's growing water currently faces a water supply-demand gap of nearly 400 million litres per day, with BWSSB supplying around 900 MLD against an estimated demand of 1.3 billion litres. About 20% of the city's population relies on private tankers, often with no guarantee of water quality or price Sanchari Cauvery's pricing has been kept significantly below market rates. A 4,000-litre tanker for a delivery within 2 km costs Rs 660, while larger 12,000-litre tankers are priced at Rs 1,290. Additional charges apply for distances beyond 2 km, but are fixed at Rs 50/km for smaller tankers and Rs 70/km for the Chairman Ram Prasath Manohar stressed the platform's ease of use and transparency, noting that the official app is already available on the Google Play Store. 'Citizens will receive real-time alerts through SMS and app notifications, ensuring full visibility throughout the delivery process,' he the launch event, MLA ST Somashekhar hailed the twin schemes as 'game-changers' in public health and water access. 'This is a major step toward ending the monopoly of private tankers and safeguarding the health of our people,' he stress is particularly severe in the city's outskirts and southeast zones such as Whitefield, where over-reliance on borewells has led to rapid groundwater depletion. A 2024 study found that 80 of Bengaluru's 200 wards are at high risk of water address the water scarcity faced in two consecutive summers, BWSSB in February this year banned the use of drinking water for non-essential activities such as vehicle washing and construction. Violators are fined Rs 5,000, with an additional Rs 500 per day for repeat offences.
