Defiant private water tanker operators boycott BBMP’s tender for 2nd time

BENGALURU: For the second time in a row, the city’s water tanker cartel has struck a defiant note, choosing to stay away from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) tender floated to involve private water-ferrying vehicles to address the problem of scarcity this summer.
The BBMP had, in consultation with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), sought to involve private water tankers to supply Cauvery water at reduced rates to water-starved areas.
Tanker owners though have ignored two tenders in this regard in the last one month. They are clear that they don’t want to work as per the terms and conditions set by the civic agency. The BBMP has now decided to knock on the doors of Karnataka Road Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), which undertakes several works without resorting to tenders.
A water tanker contractor told TOI: “We are running our businesses well. Why should we surrender ourselves to the civic agency? We make any number of trips and charge depending on our requirements. Why should we abide by the BBMP’s rules, which specify that we must make only six trips a day and also charge nominal prices? If we start acting according to the BBMP’s directions, we’ll have to wind up our business.”
However RR Nagar zone chief engineer SD Nagaraja, the nodal officer to invite tenders and hire water tanker contractors, admitted that not a single tanker owner participated in the tendering process to supply water to wards in emergency.
“The tenders were invited to lift Cauvery water from BWSSB points and supply the same at designated wards. With nobody showing any interest in the tendering process and going by the need for water at the ward levels, it is recommended that KRIDL be approached,” he said in his recommendation to the commissioner. A final call on the issue is expected on Monday.
TOI had on April 10 published a report — No takers for BBMP tender to rope in private water tankers — in these columns, highlighting the resistance to BBMP’s plans to tackle water crisis in the city.
According to one of the senior engineers, tanker operators don’t want to work at the behest of the civic agency. “They don’t want to subscribe to any kind of regulation as the civic agency has made it mandatory for them to obtain trade licence to work in the city. Moreover, tanker owners will also have to share the water source, along with lab reports, stating if the water is fit for use. No tanker owner wants to follow these guidelines,” said the engineer.
“Most of the tanker operators owe allegiance to local corporators and politicians and until they make up their mind, it won’t be easy for the BBMP to have its way,” added another source.