Water supply to Indira canteens cut off due to non-payment of dues

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) has cut the supply of water to Indira Canteens for non-payment of bills.

The Indira Canteens in the city have been operating with minimal funds. BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath has confirmed the news but has defended the civic agency, claiming that the water bill has to be paid by the contractors and not the BBMP. “This is an agreement between the contractors and the BWSSB,” he has said.

Due to the disruption in water supply, the contractors have sought other methods of water supply like water tankers or cans of purified water. The contractors of these canteens have alleged that the previous contractors did not pay their dues on time and the BBMP has not paid their bill in several months.

While canteens continue to operate, they have not been incentivised in any way, pushing them to the path of closure. During the year 2017-18 and 2018-19, the then government had allotted Rs 100 crores and Rs 145 crores respectively. However, since the BJP government came to power in the state, in the last two years, no money has been specifically allotted for the initiative.

To make up for this void, the municipal body has been setting aside funds for the canteens from its own budget. For the year 2022-23, the BBMP had allotted Rs 60 crores from its own budget. A decision to shut down the canteens entirely has not been taken yet but the contractors have been complaining about not being paid for long durations of time.

According to BBMP officials, over 15 mobile Indira Canteens that were functional in Bengaluru have shut down. In December 2022, the BBMP shut down the initiative and claimed that the mobile canteens did not receive enough footfall.