Karnataka govt has turned Bangalore, a tech hub, into 'tanker hub', running 'extortion gang': PM Modi slams Congress
Bengaluru is currently facing its worst crisis in decades. India Today recently reported that the city's residents were held captive by a ruthless water mafia.
- Apr 29, 2024,
- Updated Apr 29, 2024 1:44 PM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the Karnataka government of Siddaramaih saying, it had turned the tech hub into 'tanker hub' and was running an 'extortion gang'. "Congress isn't running a government in Karnataka but an 'extortion gang'. Karnataka which is known as a tech hub and has made its name in the world, Congress has made it a 'tanker hub'," the prime minister said while referring to the water crisis in Bangalore.
PM Modi said that the 'tanker madia' are charging exorbitant price for water in the city. "These people (the Karnataka govt) are dreaming of a scam like the 2G scam," the prime minister said, adding that the Congress party has made Karnataka its 'ATM'.
"In such a short time, these people have emptied the government treasury of Karnataka. The situation has become so grave that MLAs there aren't getting funds for developmental activities," he said while addressing a rally in Bagalkote.
Voting for the remaining 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will be held on May 7.
Bengaluru is currently facing its worst crisis in decades. India Today recently reported that the city's residents were held captive by a ruthless water mafia. From illegal borewell extraction to profiteering schemes, the desperation for water has been exploited by an underground network.
India Today’s investigation uncovered the operations of a water tanker mafia, operating without government registration and flouting legal boundaries, particularly in South Bengaluru.
One such member of this mafia, Lokesh, was found to have installed a borewell in a commercial location in the Jigani industrial area, profiting from the extraction of scarce groundwater. Speaking to India Today's reporter who was posing as a marble trader, Lokesh offered the borewell water for drinking at Rs 600 for 6,000 litres, admitting that his tanker was not registered under new government rules.
"Can you supply water for a marble-cutting factory?" the journalist probed. "Yes, from the borewell," Lokesh replied. "It’s Rs 600 for 6,000 litres."
“Is your tanker registered under new government rules?” the reporter asked. "No," Lokesh said.
Despite new regulations requiring permission for new borewells starting March 15 and banning drinking water use for non-drinking purposes such as car washing, unscrupulous tanker operators continue to profit.
Guruprakash, another supplier to the marble cutting industry in Bengaluru’s Jigani industrial area, claimed that borewells could be easily dug with bribes to local officials, further perpetuating the crisis. "It costs around Rs 2 lakhs (in bribes for one borewell). We paid 3-3.5 lakhs for deeper digging," Guruprakash claimed.
(With inputs from Nitin Jain)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attacked the Karnataka government of Siddaramaih saying, it had turned the tech hub into 'tanker hub' and was running an 'extortion gang'. "Congress isn't running a government in Karnataka but an 'extortion gang'. Karnataka which is known as a tech hub and has made its name in the world, Congress has made it a 'tanker hub'," the prime minister said while referring to the water crisis in Bangalore.
PM Modi said that the 'tanker madia' are charging exorbitant price for water in the city. "These people (the Karnataka govt) are dreaming of a scam like the 2G scam," the prime minister said, adding that the Congress party has made Karnataka its 'ATM'.
"In such a short time, these people have emptied the government treasury of Karnataka. The situation has become so grave that MLAs there aren't getting funds for developmental activities," he said while addressing a rally in Bagalkote.
Voting for the remaining 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will be held on May 7.
Bengaluru is currently facing its worst crisis in decades. India Today recently reported that the city's residents were held captive by a ruthless water mafia. From illegal borewell extraction to profiteering schemes, the desperation for water has been exploited by an underground network.
India Today’s investigation uncovered the operations of a water tanker mafia, operating without government registration and flouting legal boundaries, particularly in South Bengaluru.
One such member of this mafia, Lokesh, was found to have installed a borewell in a commercial location in the Jigani industrial area, profiting from the extraction of scarce groundwater. Speaking to India Today's reporter who was posing as a marble trader, Lokesh offered the borewell water for drinking at Rs 600 for 6,000 litres, admitting that his tanker was not registered under new government rules.
"Can you supply water for a marble-cutting factory?" the journalist probed. "Yes, from the borewell," Lokesh replied. "It’s Rs 600 for 6,000 litres."
“Is your tanker registered under new government rules?” the reporter asked. "No," Lokesh said.
Despite new regulations requiring permission for new borewells starting March 15 and banning drinking water use for non-drinking purposes such as car washing, unscrupulous tanker operators continue to profit.
Guruprakash, another supplier to the marble cutting industry in Bengaluru’s Jigani industrial area, claimed that borewells could be easily dug with bribes to local officials, further perpetuating the crisis. "It costs around Rs 2 lakhs (in bribes for one borewell). We paid 3-3.5 lakhs for deeper digging," Guruprakash claimed.
(With inputs from Nitin Jain)