State’s pact may hit water supply

State’s pact may hit water supply - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition

The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal may have allocated a mere 1.75 tmc ft for drinking water purposes for the river basin areas in Karnataka but the state government has already promised two tmc ft of water to the townships of NICE from Cauvery water allocation!

Disclosing this to reporters here on Thursday, Opposition Leader in the Legislative Council H K Patil said if the legal procedures were strictly implemented, people of Bangalore and other areas of the Cauvery basin would be deprived of even this share of water. (snip)

Storm water drain remodelling makes little progress

The Hindu : Front Page : Storm water drain remodelling makes little progress

Though the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) realised early in the new millennium that the storm water drains in Bangalore city needed an overhaul, a project to achieve this has made little progress.

The initial efforts to remove silt from the storm water drains succeeded only marginally and the Mahanagara Palike had to think of a major project to improve the infrastructure. Rapid urbanisation has taken a toll of the storm water drains too, which have been encroached upon by real estate zealots. This and the dumping of waste in the drains by the people and the crumbling infrastructure have led to the flooding of the low-lying areas during heavy rain. The project called "remodelling of storm water drains" received its first budgetary allocation in 2002-03 when the Mahanagara Palike set aside Rs. 20 crore for it. However, that year the Mahanagara Palike could spend only about Rs. 1 crore. The project was taken up earnestly only in 2005-06 when the works were awarded to contractors. The initial cost of the project was estimated at Rs. 200 crore and it was revised to Rs. 418 crore.

After the project gathered momentum, Rs. 30 crore was spent. The BBMP plans to complete the project at a cost of Rs. 357 crore in this financial year. The contractors were given 18 months to complete it. Former officials of the Mahanagara Palike say that some of contractors have not shown the required progress. The former Mayor, P.R. Ramesh, alleged that the contractors were not penalised for the delay, though the contractual terms provided for that. The 18-month deadline was coming to an end but the actual progress was less than 30 per cent, Mr. Ramesh said.

(snip)

Rains bring enough water for 15 days

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Rains bring enough water for 15 days

The persistent summer showers, especially on Saturday night, have not only brought respite from the summer heat but have come as godsend for a thirsty Bangalore.

According to the Meteorological Department, areas around Thippagondanahalli reservoir, situated in Magadi taluk, recorded a rainfall of 4 cm on Saturday. The rains have increased the water level at the reservoir by one foot and it now stands at about 17.5 feet, Venkataraju, Chief Engineer (Maintenance) of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, said on Sunday.

"This increase in water level will help us extend the pumping of water for additional 15 days," he added. He ruled out increasing the amount of water being pumped from the 35 million litres from the reservoir stating that the water level would have to be maintained till the end of May.

Before Saturday, the rains had only raised the water level two inches, which was just enough to serve the needs of the city for a day. These rains are an unexpected blessing to BWSSB, which is finding it difficult to provide equitable water supply. Usually, the BWSSB is dependent mainly on the rains in October and November for the reservoir to be filled up.

Mr. Venkatraju said that till the water level reached 12 feet, the BWSSB would continue to draw about 35 million litres per day. "If it goes below 12 feet, we will reduce pumping to about 25 million litres per day," he said. But the water supply in the city will not be affected. West, North and areas in the north-eastern parts of the city receive water from the reservoir.

These areas include Chandra Layout, Vijaynagar, Subramanyanagar, Srirampura, Nagappa Block, Gayathringar, Malleswaram, R.T. Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, Muthyala Nagar, D.J. Halli, and Pillana Gardens.

April 2007 - Rainfall in Bangalore

The recorded rainfall (ref:Dinakaran,Newspaper)

Apr 12 6.4 mm
Apr 13 10.5 mm
Apr 14 7.2 mm
Apr 19 6.8 mm
Apr 20 29.1 mm
Apr 21 5.8 mm
Apr 22 75.1 mm

Total 140.9 mm

City running out of ground water - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition

City running out of ground water - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition: "

The groundwater situation is in a critical condition in Devanahalli, Doddaballapur, Nelamangala, Bangalore East (Whitefield and adjoining areas) and Hoskote, according to officials from Department of Mines and Geology. Planning to invest in property in Bangalore? Make sure that there is adequate surface water supply and a provision for rain water harvesting because groundwater resources in both the Bangalore Urban and Rural districts are already in the red.In several residential areas, especially in Bangalore North and East, borewells are dry or on the verge of drying. Ironically, these areas, recording meteoric rise in land prices, are among the 'most critical' areas as far as groundwater is concerned.
(snip)

“The situation has worsened in the last three years. The average annual rainfall in the district is only 600 mm to 700 mm per year. Because of the drought in 2001, 2002 and 2003, groundwater recharge has been very low. Bangalore is entirely dependent on rainfall because it is built on a plateau, on different hydrological basins of South Pinakini and Cauvery rivers,” another officer from the Department of Mines and Geology said. “It’s time the government declared a five-year holiday to exploitation of groundwater.”

(snip)

According to the report on groundwater resources of Karnataka in March 2004 (the last five-yearly report on groundwater resources) by the Department of Mines and Geology, though the total annual groundwater recharge in Devanahalli was 6,496.65 hectares per metre (HAM), the gross groundwater draft for all uses was 14,294.31 HAM. In Bangalore North, the total annual groundwater recharge was 6,943 HAM and the overdraft was 13,132.21 HAM. In Bangalore South, the groundwater recharge was 6543.16 HAM and the overdraft was 11,856.63 HAM.

“The figures show that people have not only over-exploited groundwater, but have also drilled into the static water reserve, which should be used only in emergency situations,” said a department official.

"

Residents block Hosur Road demanding water supply, The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News :

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Residents block Hosur Road demanding water supply: "

The growing water crisis in Bangalore took another form with residents of Bommanahalli taking to the streets.Nearly two lakh people residing in different areas in Bommanahalli zone of BBMP such as Hongasandra, Chikkanahalli, Billekahlli, Garvebhavipalya, Vajpayeenagar and Shanthi Layout, had not received water for the last few months.To have the authorities pay heed to their grievances, the residents under the banner of Nagarilka Hitarakshana Vedike held up traffic on the busy Hosur Road for about 40 minutes, Lingaraju, member of the vedike, told The Hindu . 'We have been reduced to standing around as beggars and waiting for water late into the night. But it has not come for the past three months now,' said Gladys Perriera, a resident of Vajpayee Nagar and member of Democratic Youth Forum of India (DYFI).
(snip)
The poor are hit the hardest, with one pot of drinking water costing them a minimum of Rs. 2.
According to Mr. Lingaraju, the erstwhile Bommanahalli City Municipal Council (CMC) used to provide water to the residents through borewells it had dug. But indiscriminate drilling of borewells by private water suppliers reduced the availability in the CMC's borewells, he said.
"Many private water suppliers have drilled borewells up to 1,000 feet while most CMC borewells are about 300 to 500 feet deep," he said.
(snip)

"

3,000 villages face water shortage-Bangalore-Cities-NEWS-The Times of India

3,000 villages face water shortage-Bangalore-Cities-NEWS-The Times of India: "

Difficult to digest, but that's the reality — a whopping 3,000 villages in Karnataka will face shortage of drinking water this summer.The forecast, made at the deputy commissioners' conference chaired by CM H D Kumaraswamy here on Monday, is a hard blow to rural Karnataka which is already grappling with power cuts.'With rains having failed last year, drought situation prevails in 128 taluks. Ensuring drinking water supply would be a major problem in the coming days,' officials of the rural water supply department told the CM.

Though Rs 495 crore had been spent last year on installing 7,288 hand pumps and starting about 2,500 piped and mini water supply programmes, future would be grim, officials said.

"

‘Drying up borewells have left us high & dry’ - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition

‘Drying up borewells have left us high & dry’ - Deccan Herald - Internet Edition: "

Drinking water is not easily available in Bangalore. No builder or developer would assure his customer he would provide Cauvery water in spite of City Municipal Council (CMC) areas and gram pachayats coming under the purview of Greater Bangalore.
If you fall under the higher income bracket and think you can lead a comfortable life by purchasing a luxury apartment in the newly-added areas of Bangalore, they you could be wrong. For, drinking water is not easily available. No builder or developer would assure his customer he would provide Cauvery water in spite of City Municipal Council (CMC) areas and gram pachayats coming under the purview of Greater Bangalore.

"

All hopes rest on April showers:The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : All hopes rest on April showers: "

As temperatures in Bangalore unrelentingly hover around 36 degrees Celsius in April, all hopes rest on the summer showers. Horticulturalists and florists long to see their wilting crops revive, and long-time residents of Bangalore want their 'air-conditioned city' back.The April rains or 'mango showers' as they are called are a result of thunderstorms over the Bay of Bengal and normally come in the second half of the month. They have a cooling effect on the city.However, these summer rains are most difficult to predict, according to the Meteorological Centre Director, G.S. Vijayaraghavan.Mr. Vijayaraghavan, pointing to the rainfall figures for the past five years, said rainfall in April was as high as 324 mm in 2001, and as low as 9 mm in 2002. The 'average' rainfall for April was approximately 46 mm, with just three rainy days.

"
see the figure below for Variation in April over the years

Planning & Development Laws covering Bangalore Metropolitan Area

source: http://www.karnataka.gov.in/dpal/index-alpha.htm
All links (pdf) are mirrored, as the Govt site is slow...

THE KARNATAKA TOWN & COUNTRY PLANNING ACT 1961

THE BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ACT, 1976

THE BANGALORE METROPOLITAN REGION DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY ACT, 1985

THE BANGALORE CITY PLANNING AREA ZONAL REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT AND VALIDATION) ACT, 1996.

MUNICIPAL LAWS
* The Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976
* The Karnataka Municipal Councils Act, 1964

LAW RELATING TO LAND & ACCOMMODATION
¤ The Land Acquisition Act, 1894, Acquisition of Land for Grant of House Sites Act, 1972
¤ The Karnataka Land Reforms Act, 1961
¤ The Karnataka Land Revenue Act, 1964
¤ The Urban Land Ceiling & Regulation Act, 1976 - REPEALED vide
Urban Land (Ceiling & Regulation Act 1999)
¤ The Karnataka Housing Board Act, 1973
¤ The Karnataka Rent Control Act, 1962 - AMENDED by the Karnataka
Rent Act 1999
¤ The Karnataka Slum Areas (Improvement and Clearance) Act, 1973
¤ The Karnataka Apartment Ownership Act, 1972
¤ The Karnataka Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorized Occupants)
Act, 1971
¤ The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Act, 1966

POLLUTION CONTROL LAWS
* Ground Water (Regulation for Protection of Sources of Drinking Water) Act, 1999
¤ The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
¤ The Air (Prevention & Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
¤ The Environment (Protection) Act, 1986
* The Karnataka Parks, Play- Fields and Open Spaces (Preservation and Regulation) Act, 1985 (16 of 1985) 42 of 2003.
* The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Act, 1964
* The Karnataka prohibition of smoking and protection of health of non-smokers Act, 2001
* The Karnataka open places (prevention of disfigurement) Act, 1981

OTHER LAWS
¤ The Indian Registration Act, 1908
¤ The Karnataka Police Act, 1963
¤ The Motor Vehicles Act, 1939
¤ The Cinematography Act, 1952
¤ The National Highways Act, 1988
¤ The Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957
* The Karnataka Highways Act, 1964

Bangalore at a Glance (JNNURM CDP 2006)

CDP reports





BDA Landuse pattern (covers Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, seven City Municipal Councils (CMCs) and one Town Municipal Council (TMC))




Bangalore Slum details

How do you prevent nitrate contamination?

How do you prevent nitrate contamination?
Prevention of nitrate contamination of the water supply is critical. Wells need to be isolated from possible sources of contamination and to be protected from surface damage. Abandoned wells need to be sealed to prevent contamination. Sinkholes are direct routes to groundwater and should never be used as garbage dumps. Good nitrogen management is needed when applying fertilizers, both on the farm and in the home yard and garden.

The surest way to deal with a contaminated water supply is to find a new, clean water supply. If you do not have access to a new water supply, the contaminated water can be treated to remove the nitrate.

How can nitrate be reduced or removed from water?
Nitrate is a very soluble substance, easily dissolved in water and extremely hard to remove. Treatment for nitrate is, therefore, very complicated and expensive. However, only water used for drinking and cooking needs to be treated. The three methods of reducing or removing nitrate are: 1) demineralization by distillation or reverse osmosis; 2) ion exchange; and 3) blending.
(read above link for more)

When to Test?

Indian Portable Water Testing Kits

How accurate is the above kit? Any feedback from users?