Bengaluru: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the State legislature has expressed concern over lack of information in the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on whether measures have been taken to stop supplying water from 3,263 borewells having non-potable water.
According to a report tabled in the Assembly on Monday, only 850 borewells of the total 12,986 inspected by a quality checking institution have potable water. While 5,958 borewells are not working, 3,263 borewells have contaminated water. The survey was conducted by the Board, which has not provided information to the PAC on whether it has stopped supply from borewells having contaminated water. It does not have information on how many such borewells were part of the tenders to repair 2,100 borewells.
“If a borewell does not have potable water, then there is no point repairing it,” the report observes.
The BWSSB has awarded tenders in 28 packages for repair and maintenance of 2,100 borewells of the total 3,454 which it got from the seven municipal bodies around Bengaluru during the formation of the BBMP.
Taking exception to awarding uniform contracts without verifying their status, the PAC has observed that the equipment from the contaminated borewells could have been used in other borewells as well.
