Bengaluru: Bannerghatta National Park (BBP), which is facing severe water scarcity, has requested Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to supply Cauvery water to the park.
It is even starved of drinking water for visitors and animals. The authorities have approached BWSSB to supply 2 lakh litres of water on a daily basis.
The park has a number of lakes which generally take care of its water requirement of the animals and birds. However, due to the current heat wave the water levels have depleted.
This has prompted BNP officials to make alternate arrangement for water.
There are seven lakes spread around the BNP. Kavalkere, Bandekere and Benakanakere lakes has a good storage capacity, but this summer the water levels are down.
The park also has 12 borewells, but only six have water. The park receives an average of 625 to 700 mm of rainfall annually and the water gets collected in these water bodies.
Still the park faces water shortage during summers. BNP has a reverse osmosis plant to provide drinking water to visitors at Re 1 per litre. The park also needs water to fill up the enclosures meant for hippopotamus, and other aquatic and amphibians.
The requirement of water to the park, which is currently two lakh litres per day may go up to five lakh in a couple of years, sources said.
BWSSB chief engineer (maintenance) B.C. Gangadhar has confirmed about BNP request. Already, a field officer has been deployed to provide feasibility report and the same would be sent to the state government. BWSSB cannot take decision on its own as the park is located beyond its jurisdiction. Depending on the government’s decision a decision will be taken in this regard, Gangadhar said.
BBMP takes steps to prevent tree fall
Whenever the city witnesses heavy rain, accompanied by gusty winds, trees get uprooted and results in loss of property and even lives. During monsoon ageing and weak trees across the city fall over parked vehicles and buildings.
This could be minimized or even averted if the BBMP forest department undertakes survey on the condition of the trees in the city and takes remedial action like pruning and felling of weak trees.
City Mayor Gangambike is keen to avert this recurring tragedy. “This year it won’t be the same. I have directed the officials of the forest wing to take proactive steps to prevent tree falls,” the Mayor told Deccan Chronicle.
She said before the official commencement of monsoon in the city, the forest department will be able to remove the old and weak trees which cannot withstand heavy rains and winds.
While the Mayor appears pro-active, the contractors, who have been entrusted to remove weak trees, claim they have not been paid for their services since 2017.
When Deecan Chronicle contacted a top BBMP official, he admitted to the fact, but said that payments to contractors will be processed at the earliest.
