In the midst of the water crisis, the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has stated that it will take legal action against people who drill unlicensed borewells within the city borders, news agency PTI reported. Starting March 15, anyone can apply for permission to drill borewells by submitting their applications on the Board's official website, and approval will be given based on a site inspection by the appropriate officials, according to the statement.
According to section 11 of the Karnataka Ground Water (Regulation and Control of Development and Management) Act, 2011, the BWSSB stated in an order that before drilling borewells for personal or other purposes in Bengaluru, approval must be obtained from the relevant authorities.
It claimed a lack of adequate rainwater as the cause of the drop in ground water levels, claiming that many borewells in the city had dried up.
Officials also believe that the city's ground water level is dropping owing to "unscientific drilling" of borewells.
According to the order, borewells should only be drilled in areas where authorisation has been given by the appropriate authorities; if they are drilled in unauthorised areas, legal action will be taken in accordance with the laws.
The direction came only days after the BWSSB outlawed the use of potable water for non-essential uses in Bengaluru, including washing cars, building and road construction, entertainment, and fountain decorations, and announced that offenders will face a Rs 5,000 punishment.
According to the directive issued on March 7, malls and movie halls may only use potable water for drinking purposes, PTI reported.
“Due to shortage of rainfall, the groundwater table had depleted, and borewells in the city have dried up. Before sinking a borewell, according to the Karnataka Groundwater (Development and Management Regulations and Control) Act, 2011, permission has to be obtained from the necessary authorities. The water table has gone down because of the unmindful drilling of borewells without obtaining proper permissions,” BWSSB Chairman Ramprasath Manohar was qyoted as saying by The New Indian Express in its report.