Alarmed by Bengaluru Water Crisis, Karnataka Govt May Bar Apartment Construction in City for 5 Years

Bengaluru: The government of Karnataka is planning to deny permission for building new apartments in Bengaluru for the next five years until the water crisis in the city is resolved. On Thursday, deputy chief minister G Parameshwara said the proposal is being discussed considering how apartments are being sold without ensuring availability of water.

"There are many apartments in the city but when they sell it, they don't promise to ensure a basic facility like drinking water. Due to water scarcity, residents are forced to buy tanker water, which can lead to skin diseases. Hence, there is a proposal of not granting permission for new apartments for the next five years," he said.

Parameshwara said state government officials will soon meet developers to discuss the proposal and arrive at a decision.

“After five years, the expectation is that sufficient water will be made available in the city through various sources and this issue will be resolved," Parameshwara said.

The developers, however, feel this is a knee-jerk reaction and have expressed helplessness.

"Bengaluru has grown beyond its need. But the fact is, the planning authority has to plan. The developers aren't doing anything other than what their profession is about. They work within the sanctions they get. It is easy to say, ‘we won't give fresh sanctions’. I don't think it will work that way. It is our constitutional and democratic right. Instead of the government keeping pace with the information available with them and acting proactively to meet the demands, if they do this, it is negative," said Ramani Sastri, chairman and managing director of Sterling Developers.

"I don't think any developer puts up a building without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) or the Karnataka Electricity Board (KEB). You have been notified that this project is going to commence and it is going to come up in two or three years. We are only service providers when a need arises. You (government) have to augment your capacity," Sastri added.