In the face of a mounting water scarcity crisis gripping Bengaluru, the Karnataka state government’s recent move to take control of private tankers for supplying water to the most parched areas of the city has brought about added challenges for private residential complexes reliant on these tankers for their daily water needs. Among them, Prestige Falcon City, a luxurious gated community nestled in Kanakapura Road, finds itself grappling with the repercussions, prompting residents to adopt stringent water conservation measures.
The Prestige Falcon City management has taken the unprecedented step of urging its inhabitants to resort to disposable plates and wet wipes as part of their concerted efforts to conserve water. Vasanth Kumar, President of the residents’ association, clarified to Moneycontrol that such measures were advised as a last resort. “It was only suggested in case residents ran out of water,” he emphasised.
The plight of Prestige Falcon City gained traction on social media following the circulation of an internal message from the Prestige Falcon City Apartment Owners Association (PFCAOA). The message, sounding the alarm about the dire water situation, informed residents about the government’s intervention to seize water tankers for supplying water to severely affected areas. Furthermore, it appealed to financially capable residents to step forward to assist in procuring water tankers.
Kumar informed Moneycontrol that interim arrangements have been made, anticipating water supply restoration by 4 pm. The community has also implemented water rationing, restricting supply to specific hours between 6 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 11 pm. Despite these measures, residents are urged to exercise prudence in water usage, especially considering the anticipation of another four months before the monsoon arrives. Kumar shared his personal efforts, including resorting to bucket baths instead of showers and repurposing wastewater from the RO purifier for other uses.
“While my wife and I can manage somehow, the situation is far more challenging for families with school-going children,” Kumar expressed concern.
Meanwhile, Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, addressing the water crisis, disclosed the establishment of a dedicated war room to monitor the water situation in Bengaluru in real-time. He assured the public of the government’s commitment to resolving the crisis swiftly, with a network of helplines and grievance centres in place to address complaints related to water shortage.
“Providing drinking water to the citizens is the government’s responsibility. There is no need to be worried,” Shivakumar reassured reporters. As the water crisis continues to grip Bengaluru, communities like Prestige Falcon City are left navigating through unprecedented challenges, underscoring the urgency for sustainable water management strategies.
