Bengaluru faces a severe groundwater crisis ahead of summer, as confirmed by a joint study using AI and IoT. Groundwater levels have already dropped in 65 wards, with experts predicting a further decline.
Summer hasn’t even properly begun, but the city is already staring at a major groundwater crisis. In many of Bengaluru’s posh wards, the groundwater level has already dropped quite a bit. And the scary part is, experts say the situation could get much worse in the coming months.
This shocking information came out of a joint study. Scientists from IISc, officials from the Central Ground Water Board, the State Department of Mines and Geology, and other tech experts were part of it. They used high-tech stuff like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) to collect and analyse data, which is how they spotted the drop in groundwater levels.
Warning bells in 65 wards
The study found that groundwater levels have fallen in a total of 65 wards, including areas like Malleswaram, Sanjaynagar, and Hebbal. The report warns that during peak summer, the water level in these places could drop by thousands of feet.
The wards facing a severe groundwater problem include Jakkur (old ward no. 5), Doddabommasandra (10), Shettihalli, Mallasandra, T. Dasarahalli, Jalahalli, Sanjaynagar, Hebbal, Nagawara, Horamavu, Ramamurthy Nagar, Kammanahalli, Kadugondanahalli, Kaval Bairasandra, Manorayanapalya, Doddabidarakallu, Peenya Industrial Area, Nandini Layout, J.C. Nagar, Lingarajapura, K.R. Puram, A. Narayanapura, Kadu Malleshwara, Mahalakshmi Puram, Agrahara Dasarahalli, Agaram, Binnypete, and Kempapura Agrahara, among other key areas.
Emergency meeting at the Water Board
As soon as the IISc report came out, a high-voltage meeting was held with officials from the Bengaluru Water Board. Tushar Girinath, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department, gave clear instructions. He told the officials to take action *before* summer hits, to make sure there are no water shortages. He has ordered a special action plan for the 65 wards where the groundwater drop is the worst.
The Special Action Plan
The plan is to divide these 65 wards into five zones under the GBA (Groundwater Based Area). A separate engineer will be put in charge of each ward. These engineers have been told not to sit in their offices but to be out in the field, working actively. Officials have also been warned to act fast before the situation gets out of hand, especially in the outer areas where groundwater levels could fall even more.
Get all RO plants working
Orders have been given to make sure all Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants across the city are working at 100% capacity. This means immediate repairs and constant checks. They’ve also been told to step up all precautionary measures to prevent a water shortage. At the same time, officials have been asked to speed up the process for new water connections before peak summer arrives. The goal is to get the required infrastructure ready and strengthen the water supply system.
Fears of a tough summer ahead
Since the groundwater level has already dropped in the city, the water problem is expected to get much more serious in the coming months. People are worried that the situation could become critical, especially in the outer areas and the rapidly growing parts of Bengaluru. Experts say that if Bengaluru wants to avoid another terrible water crisis, these preventive measures must be put in place right away. They believe the only way to manage the summer water problem is if the government and all the concerned departments work together.