Whitefield residents demand patrolling to curb illegal borewell drilling

Concerned about the rising instances of illegal borewell drilling, Whitefield residents are urging the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to coordinate and deploy personnel for patrolling the ward, at least on weekends. The demand comes in the wake of an increase in mercury levels in the city.

Concerned about the rising instances of illegal borewell drilling, Whitefield residents are urging the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to coordinate and deploy personnel to patrol the ward, at least on weekends. The demand comes in the wake of an increase in mercury levels in the city.

Residents report that over the past two weeks, Whitefield has seen a sudden surge in illegal borewell drilling. Previously, two to three borewells were being drilled over a two-week period, but this has risen to eight. With summer approaching, the numbers are expected to increase further. Currently, residents are alerting the BWSSB to halt drilling, but as the instances grow, enforcement will become more challenging. To curb this rampant practice, residents insist that the BWSSB or BBMP deploy personnel for regular patrols.

Sandeep Anirudhan, an activist and resident, told The Hindu that over the past year, residents have reported more than 100 illegal borewells. However, due to official apathy, many were completed without proper intervention. He suggested that similar to the marshals deployed by the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), the BWSSB or BBMP should assign personnel to monitor the area on weekends. He pointed out that illegal drilling typically takes place on Saturdays and Sundays when government offices are closed. He also urged the government to amend relevant laws for stricter enforcement.

According to data from the BWSSB, between March 2024 and January 2025, the board received 6,110 applications for borewell drilling. Of these, 1,260 applications were approved through the online process. Additionally, 160 applications were approved offline during the same period.

When asked about the number of cases registered against illegal drilling, a senior BWSSB official stated that the board does not maintain centralised data, as enforcement is handled by 68 different divisions. However, he admitted that only a few cases were registered in the past year, as lower-level officials primarily focus on halting the drilling rather than filing formal complaints.

Srinivas Reddy, another resident, agreed that patrolling is a good measure to enforce the law, but cautioned that authorities must ensure the initiative does not lead to corruption. Currently, when residents alert the BWSSB about illegal drilling, officials intervene and halt the process. However, drilling often resumes a day or two later, raising suspicions of bribery, he alleged. Mr. Reddy recalled that last summer, unchecked drilling led to a drastic drop in groundwater levels, stressing that the BWSSB must take timely action this year.

Sonnappa T., a government school teacher and resident, stated that he has flagged several illegal borewells on the ward’s Whatsapp group. The main issue, he noted, is the delayed response from the BWSSB; by the time officials arrive, half of the drilling is already complete. He suggested that deploying personnel would be an effective immediate measure. He also proposed that marshals, who have a proven track record in enforcing waste management regulations, could be assigned to this task.