Employees refuse to come office citing water shortage in Bengaluru

Bengaluru, known as the tech heartland of India, is facing a severe water shortage, prompting employees to refuse to come to the office due to taps running dry. The crisis, exacerbated by rapid urbanization and population growth, is impacting households and the operations of IT and tech hubs in the city. Residents and industry stakeholders attribute the shortage to factors such as unequal distribution, poor water management, and negligence by local authorities.

Murugavel Janakiraman, Founder and CEO of Matrimony.com, suggests long-term measures like mandatory water harvesting and groundwater recharging to overcome the crisis. He emphasizes reducing water consumption, recycling, and creating water bodies to increase groundwater levels. Lal Chand Bisu, co-founder and CEO of Kuku FM, highlights the operational impact as companies are compelled to implement work-from-home arrangements.

Residents are resorting to alternative measures, such as visiting nearby malls for basic needs, as the prices of water tankers have surged. The severity of the crisis underscores the urgent need for water harvesting, proper allocation of external water sources, and government intervention. The government’s initiatives, including injecting purified water into drying lakes and implementing advanced water filtration technologies, aim to restore groundwater supplies and alleviate the water scarcity issue.