Parched Bengaluru looks to Cauvery
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A thirsty Bengaluru can expect to get more water possibly by June this year with the partial commissioning of the Cauvery Water Supply Scheme Stage IV Phase II , which when completed will add 6.45 tmc to the 12.72 tmc already being supplied to the city. But even with that Bengaluru will be left with a shortfall of 8.19 tmc to meet its needs by 2021.
A concerned BWSSB is therefore now pushing for more Cauvery water for the city as suggested by the interim report of the Expert Committee to Assess Long Term Additional Needs of Water for Bengaluru City submitted to the government on December 31, 2011 . On Thursday, the board wrote to the Chief Secretary for allocation of 10 tmc more for Bengaluru from the 17.64 tmc Cauvery water allocated to Karnataka to take care of any future needs it may want to consider on priority.
But in the long term , to meet the shortfall in supply of 33.69 tmc which the city is likely to face by 2051, the committee has suggested that it should be able to tap another 15 tmc from the Cauvery if the state builds a reservoir or a hydro power plant near Mekedatu to store 50 to 60 tmc of the additional water that flows in the natural course to Tamil Nadu every year during a good monsoon.
It says Karnataka will be justified in taking this step as it is already supplying more water than required to Tamil Nadu and Kerala every year.
The ball is clearly now in the government's court. The question is : Will it do what is required to meet the city's need for water?
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