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<keyword id="19895037" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru" source="keywords">Bengaluru</keyword>, Karnataka’s bustling capital, is currently witnessing a worrying surge in dengue fever cases, sending waves of concern across its populace. In just 20 days, the city has recorded an alarming 1,000 cases, highlighting a drastic surge compared to previous years. Alongside dengue, there has been a notable uptick in viral fever cases, further straining local healthcare resources. Experts point to the unusual weather conditions as a key culprit. The lack of rain and unexpected cold winds have created a breeding ground for mosquitoes, the carriers of dengue. Additionally, BBMP's increased vigilance with fever surveys has led to more detections, contributing to the higher case numbers. Chief Health Officer Dr. Syed Madani emphasised the proactive stance of the health department, noting a quadrupling in checks compared to previous years. In the first half of 2024 alone, Bengaluru has already reported nearly 5,000 dengue cases, significantly surpassing last year’s figures for the same period. Most of the surge came after May this year. The eastern and Mahadevpura zones of Bengaluru have been hit the hardest by dengue, with construction work creating stagnant water – a perfect haven for mosquitoes. The southern zone, meanwhile, is grappling with chikungunya, another mosquito-borne illness. The health department is pulling out all the stops to combat the outbreak. Fogging drives are underway to kill mosquito larvae, and public awareness campaigns are educating residents on preventing water stagnation around their homes. Continuous fever surveys are also being conducted to identify potential cases early on. The severity of the outbreak hit close to home when Chief Civic Commissioner Tushar Giri Nath tested positive for dengue. Despite the setback, Nath is expected to resume his duties shortly, underscoring the personal toll of the city's health crisis. In response to mounting cases, <keyword id="19909918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chief-Minister-Siddaramaiah" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Chief Minister Siddaramaiah" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Chief Minister Siddaramaiah">Chief Minister Siddaramaiah</keyword> has convened high-level meetings with BBMP officials and health authorities to strategize further containment efforts. With June alone witnessing 1,036 reported cases, Bengaluru braces for potentially higher numbers during the monsoon season, traditionally conducive to mosquito proliferation. However, BBMP officials are confident that their preventative measures, including extensive surveillance, fever detection, and source reduction activities, will help control the situation.

Bengaluru on dengue alert: City reports over 1,000 cases in 20 days; BBPM Chief falls prey to disease

If you step out into <keyword id="19895037" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bengaluru" source="keywords">Bengaluru</keyword> traffic these days, there’s a good chance you’ll discover a bulky water tanker spearheading the all-too-familiar clog in traffic. Amidst the ongoing <keyword id="6355836" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-crisis" source="Orion">water crisis</keyword>, India’s Silicon City has mobilised thousands of tankers that zip, almost heroically, across the city, rescuing parched residences from the metro’s urban planning crisis. Bidding to reduce their reliance on the exorb<keyword id="6354185" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="it" source="Orion">it</keyword>ant tankers — a necessary step after the exhaustion of half the city’s groundwater-fed borewells — many residential societies have begun innovating water-saving techniques, with varying degrees of success. However, for the several businesses and industries littering the metropolitan town, it seems like dark days are looming. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="IT in turmoil" comment="subhead" text="IT in turmoil">IT in turmoil</cmsannotation> Hosting over 1,400 tech companies that employ tens of lakhs of employees, Bengaluru has certainly earned its title as India’s ‘Silicon Valley’. Not only has this driven a rapid boom in economic, infrastructural and industrial development, the city has acted as a magnet for people looking for attractive employment opportunities. Unfortunately, this success has also resulted in <a href="https://bpac.in/bangalore-population-growth-consequences-and-possible-solutions/" data-type="tilCustomLink">population levels haphazardly spiking</a> from 2,900 people per square kilometre in 2001 to 4,300 within a single decade. Estimates suggest that this figure may have breached 8,000 by now! In addition to deterring water-cooler conversations, the lack of water in their workplaces have led to several companies already urging employees to work from home. Echoing a growing sentiment among the city’s techies, <a href="https://m.economictimes.com/news/india/it-companies-in-bengaluru-urged-to-give-15-lakh-employees-wfh-option-as-city-grapples-with-water-crisis/articleshow/108761390.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">ex-Chief Justice K Sreedhar Rao also pleaded</a> for temporary remote arrangements for migrant IT workers to depopulate Bengaluru till the water crisis is dealt with. However, many such multinational employees have already begun to preemptively take matters into their own hands by temporarily or permanently moving to other cities, such as the nearby Mysuru. Needless to say, this has disrupted operations for many companies, including some of the top IT firms in Bengaluru. In a surprising turn of tragic events, senior personnel at <keyword id="19969515" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dell" source="keywords">Dell</keyword> have begun skipping meetings to prioritise their procurement of water, reported the Deccan Herald. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Real estate rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt" comment="subhead" text="Real estate rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt"><keyword id="6354553" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="real-estate" source="Orion">Real estate</keyword> rates to fall; restaurants forced to adapt</cmsannotation> With pleasant weather the year round, Bengaluru has proven itself time and again as an excellent place to settle down and relax. The city’s diverse population is a testament to its uncanny ability to draw people from all over India, even before the city’s notable IT boom. Real estate has now hit an all-time high, with high demand and attractive financial options helping the sector grow exponentially in the past few decades, reportedly recording a staggering nine-year-high 54,000 housing units sold in 2023. However, the city’s recent water woes have left potential property investors second-guessing. According to a recent Deccan Herald poll, around 60% of the respondents noted that they have postponed their move to Bengaluru due to the ongoing shortage, while a similar number of people have also begun evaluating investment options in other cities. Homebuyers have also begun to diligently inquire into <keyword id="55273" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="groundwater" source="Orion">groundwater</keyword> borewell depths and water-saving technologies when consulting developers. While <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/business/bengaluru-water-crisis-alarms-property-investors-dh-poll-2930539" data-type="tilCustomLink">many contractors remain firm</a> that these reactions are not representative of a long-term trend, some experts have predicted that a fall in property prices may become inevitable. A <a href="https://www.republicworld.com/business/real-estate/bengaluru-water-crisis-property-prices-in-peenya-hsr-layout-marathahalli-to-fall-15-say-experts/" data-type="tilCustomLink">Republic report</a> explains that house rates could fall up to 10-15% in the most water-stressed regions of East and Central Bengaluru, including HSR Layout, Marathahalli, Rajaji Nagar and Peenya. Needless to say, the crisis has also taken a toll on Bengaluru’s various hotels and eateries, many of which are severely dependent on tanker water for cooking, cleaning and drinking purposes. Krishna Raj, owner of the popular <keyword id="21126683" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nisarg-grand-hotel" source="keywords">Nisarg Grand Hotel</keyword>, <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/bengaluru-water-crisis-news-hotels-disposable-utensils-shortage-lok-sabha-polls-karnataka-dk-shivakumar-congress-bjp-11710055127680.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">explained</a> that they might have to begin serving food in disposable utensils if the trend continues into the summer months. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Industrial district parched" comment="subhead" text="Industrial district parched">Industrial district parched</cmsannotation> Located in Northwest Bengaluru, Peenya is home to thousands of industries of varying sizes, producing a host of electronics, textiles, packaging, machines and other consumer items. However, being one of the largest industrial areas in Asia hasn’t protected its businesses from the ongoing crisis. In an <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/industry/news/bengaluru-water-crisis-to-impact-local-industries-in-coming-weeks-experts-124030601026_1.html" data-type="tilCustomLink">interview with Business Standard</a>, <keyword id="21126682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="peenya-industries-association" source="keywords">Peenya Industries Association</keyword> President H. M. Arif explained that the area’s micro-industries are strained to the point that many could be forced to close soon if the water crisis continues unmitigated. Many such sectors have also become hopelessly reliant on tanker water, and the associated rising costs have begun to bottleneck the manufacturing process. Prices of several commercial products could go up soon if this trend continues. “Many from the hosiery or garment sector need water for processing,” Arif explains. “You need water for workers as well as other needs. The government is saying it will source recycled water for the industry. But for that, there is a tendering process and at this rate, we will not get water this season.” <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Solutions and cautious optimism" comment="subhead" text="Solutions and cautious optimism">Solutions and cautious optimism</cmsannotation> This is not to say that the government isn’t taking measures to tackle the crisis. After ordaining centralised control over water tankers and actively regulating prices to ensure the city’s water isn’t hoarded solely by the rich, officials also placed bans on recreational water use. In addition, initiatives are underway to “inject” 1,300 million litres of purified water into the city’s drying lakes per day, which the officials allege will help restore local groundwater levels. <keyword id="19927086" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bwssb" source="keywords">BWSSB</keyword> has also announced plans to build an array of next-gen water treatment plants near restored lake beds to purify and deliver water wherever required. Addressing the harsh summers ahead, Karnataka government officials have expressed optimism that the completion of the Cauvery Five — a massive array of treatment plants that will treat sewage to produce 100 million litres of water a day — will help make up for any deficits by July. Meanwhile, many large corporations, including Microsoft, have begun utilising water-saving tap aerators to control water flow in the Bagmane Business Park offices. The city’s water board, the BWSSB, has also launched four mobile apps to help tackle the city’s water crisis. Attempting to bridge a gap between the water department and the citizens it serves, these apps will help residents book water online, apply for borewell permissions, report water misuse and more. At 24% of its total capacity, reservoirs across Karnataka are also drying up. Despite growing shortages, the state government has assured that the Cauvery River reservoir that supplies water to Bengaluru holds sufficient water levels to last at least until June. After that, the pre-monsoon and monsoon rains are expected to replenish the water resources. However, the supply remains much lower compared to the demand, and the only way to survive this summer could be to adopt drastic water-saving measures and a few good spells of pre-monsoon showers.

Water crisis affects businesses across Bengaluru; Is there room for cautious optimism?

<ul><li>
As many as 100 million people in the country are suffering from the nation-wide water crisis. </li><li>Moreover, 21 major cities are expected to be devoid of groundwater by 2020, says government think tank NITI Aayog. </li></ul> No drops, No rain, nothing. India is suffering from its worst-ever water crisis in history. It has already started affecting hundreds and millions of lives and livelihoods across the country. And, people are craving for water to drink as well. “How will three pots of water be sufficient for an entire family of five,” asks a resident of Chennai — India’s sixth largest city — which ran out of water after all four reservoirs dried up this summer. 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Chennai: People rush to fill their vessels from a water tanker following acute w..." msid="69988629" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;People rush to fill their vessels from a water tanker following acute water shortage, in Chennai.Photo)(&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>








 A large number of people are now washing utensils in dirty water, to save the clean water for cooking and drinking. There won’t be any relief anytime soon as the southwest monsoon — accounting 80% of India’s rainfall — is late and is expected to be <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/monsoon-to-be-below-normal-over-north-south-india-imd/articleshow/69602283.cms">lower than usual</a> in both north and south India. As many as 100 million people in the country are suffering from the nation-wide water crisis. Moreover, 21 major cities are expected to be devoid of groundwater by 2020, says government think tank NITI Aayog Only some parts of the country have received rainfall — that too almost a week late. Apart from the water crisis, the harsh heatwaves in the country took more than <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2019/06/22/india/chennai-india-water-crisis-intl/index.html">137 lives </a>. India’s dwindling water sources worsened the situation. <a href="http://202.159.215.252:83/DocumentUploadRoot/DocumentId_32837/20.06.2019_CWC_Bull.pdf">According to the Central Water Commission</a>, two-thirds water reservoirs in the country are below normal levels. Little Water, No Water — Current status of crisis across the country 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Women fetch water from an opening made by residents at a dried-up lake in Chennai" msid="69988642" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Women fetch water from an opening made by residents at a dried-up lake in Chennai, India, June 11, 2019. REUTERS/P. Ravikumar TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>









 On 2 June 2019, a video of women filling bucket from the water leaked by a water tanker over the road went viral on social media, reported India spend. More than 100 districts across the country are officially affected by drought. Most of the districts (80%) in Karnataka and Maharashtra (72%) are hit by drought and crop failure. As many as 8.2 million farmers are struggling for livelihood. With scarcity comes strife. The state governments of Karnataka and Maharashtra — are now fighting over sharing water resources. Every day, Maharashtra government is sending 6,000 water tankers to 4,920 villages and 10,506 hamlets or settlements (bastis) in drought-hit areas. In the South, the Tamil Nadu government had to sanction Rs 233 crore to initiate emergency water projects. The state capital — Chennai— had to shut down the air conditioning to save as much as 9,000 litres a day. People have to stand in line for hours and they get foul-smelling water that might have been mixed with sewage. Karnataka too was forced to shut schools for a week due to water scarcity. Separately, residents of Bhilwara in Rajasthan have to keep water ‘locked’ in tankers since they depend on drinking water that is supplied once in 10 days. They are worried that it might be stolen! No groundwater by 2020 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="India Water Shortage" msid="69988668" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Indiand stand in queues to fill vessels filled with drinking water from a water tanker in Chennai, capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Wednesday, June 19, 2019. Millions of people are turning to water tank trucks in the state as house and hotel taps run dry in an acute water shortage caused by drying lakes and depleted groundwater. Some private companies have asked employees to work from home and several restaurants are closing early and even considering stopping lunch meals if the water scarcity aggravates.Photo/R. Parthibhan)&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>









AP New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad are amongst the 21 cities that will run out of groundwater by 2020. This will affect as many as 100 million people, claims a report by NITI Ayog. Furthermore, 40% of India’s population will struggle for drinking water by 2030. With India’s water crisis deepening by the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently created Ministry of Jal Shakti that is going to look after the water resource management. Modi also reiterated his promise to provide piped water to every rural house in India by 2024. However, analysts have claimed that won’t be enough. A UN Human rights report claimed that soon only wealthy people in the world would be able to afford basic necessities in case of a drought, heatwave or famine. Falling rainfall levels in India 
 
 
 
 <div type="image" title="Chennai: School students offer prayers to rain god seeking rainfall following th..." msid="69988705" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;School students offer prayers to rain god seeking rainfall following the severe water crisis, in Chennai.Photo) (&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>










 The Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) reported that 43.4% areas in the country are under drought as of 30 May 2019. A delayed monsoon is among the primary reasons for the current crisis. In the last five years, 2017 was the only year when India did not experience drought, reported India spend. Both South west monsoon and North-east monsoon were lower than usual. Last year, India Meteorological Department said that the ‘post-monsoon’ rainfall — responsible for 10-20% of the India’s monsoon — was lower by 44%. And the pre-monsoon rainfall was the lowest it saw in the last 65 years. Experts fear that India is soon going to witness Day Zero if no action is taken on time.

Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives

<ul><li>The central government is set to launch <keyword id="7815662" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Shakti-Abhiyan">Jal Shakti Abhiyan</keyword> to fight water crisis problems in the country. </li><li>The campaign will work out measures for <keyword id="6354898" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rainwater-harvesting">rainwater harvesting</keyword> and <keyword id="6362691" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-conservation">water conservation</keyword> efforts in 255 districts from July 1 to September 15, in its first phase and would be coordinated by central government IAS officers as decisions relating to water is a state issue. </li><li>The second phase will run from October 1 to November 30 in states that receive rains from the north-east monsoon. </li><li>Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on June 22, wrote letters to village panchayat heads and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in rural India. </li></ul>The new finance minister <keyword id="129243" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> will present the Union Budget for 2019-20 in the Parliament on July 5. Just days before, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone for the big announcement likely on Friday by initiating the ‘Jal Shakti Abhiyan’, a project to conserve water through rainwater harvesting and other efforts to save water. Amid the high temperatures and severe water crisis, the country is going through, it would be among government’s main agenda to tackle the rapidly increasing water issues throughout the country, The major cities of India like Chennai and Bengaluru were recently in the news due to severe water crisis. The story of rural India is more frightening where 80% of rural homes does not have piped water supply. Only 18% of 17.9 million rural homes have tap water. The central government in efforts to deal with water related issues had merged the water resources and drinking water and sanitation ministries and formed the Jal Shakti Ministry. The new ministry, which has the decision making power over all international and interstate water disputes, the Clean Ganga project, and making drinking water accessible, will be hopeful of a handsome budget to deal with the The government is also set to launch the Jal Shakti Abhiyan to workout measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation from July 1 in a phased manner, under the supervision of central government IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-level in 255 districts. It seeks to work out measures for rainwater harvesting and water conservation efforts in 255 districts of the country starting July 1, 2019. The campaign is planned in a phased manner, where the first phase starts on July 1 and would run till September 15 in states receiving rainfall during the south-west monsoon, and would be coordinated by the IAS officers of Joint or Additional Secretary-rank from the 255 districts. The next phase will kickstart from October 1 and run till November 30 and will cover states that receive rainfall during the north-east monsoon. As water is not central government issue and state governments are free to decide upon policies for usage and water conservation, the officers will be drawn from various ministries of Government of India, including the Department of Space, Petroleum and Defence, <a href="https://dopt.gov.in/sites/default/files/31-16-2019-EOMM-I.pdf">according to the Department of Personnel and Training</a>. Prior to the launch of the campaign, high level teams were constituted in the 255 districts, and engineers and technical staff was designated in 1,539 blocks across the country to measure ground water levels, the state of aquifers, and ponds and water bodies under encroachment. India’s population is 17.74% of the total world population, whereas the water resources account for a mere 4%. This combined with ever increasing demand and depleting water sources due to encroachment, contamination and reduced rainfall, puts India in a grave situation. “As of today, India only conserves 8% of all rainfall, which is among the lowest in the world,” <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">a senior Jal Shakti official said</a>.”we need to change this.” In line with Gram Swaraj Abhiyan The Jal Shakti Abhiyan is in line with last year’s Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, where central government officials monitored the implementation of seven flagship development schemes in 117 districts across the country. To further achieve its target, the ministry will draft block and district level water conservation plans and the Kisan Vigyan Kendras would organise fests to promote better crop choices and more efficient usage of water for irrigation. To spread awareness about the campaign, major communications campaign on TV, radio, social media would be carried out, for which celebrities will also be roped in. The prime minister, on June 22, wrote letters to all village panchayat heads, and urged them to undertake rainwater harvesting and water conservation activities in rural India, <a href="http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190639">as per PIB release</a>. “In the last four years, nearly 50,000 villages have used MGNREGA [rural income guarantee act] and other state funds to successfully conserve rain water in a big way,” rural development secretary <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/under-jal-shakti-scheme-centre-to-focus-on-replenishing-water-bodies/story-heKzqsW0IzPfY0lwi9OjxI.html">Amarjeet Sinha was quoted saying</a>. The government is also likely to announce a national water conservation policy along with a conservation programme for the 226 highly water stressed districts of the country, an official said. Plans with the MPs to prioritise water storage works under their local area development fund are also underway. “Any national policy on water has to pivot around ground water because “ground water is India’s water lifeline”. Secondly, he said there is a complete policy vacuum on the urban water sector and India urgently needs a programme to regulate its urban-water footprint,” said Himanshu Thakkar of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People.

Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget on Friday may push for water conservation

Just in case you had this notion that startups in India meant ecommerce sites with some flash sale and discounts, here’s <keyword id="6354321" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengaluru">Bengaluru</keyword> -based FlyBird Innovation to prove you wrong. The weather experts having forecasted a drop in amount of rainfall this season, farmers in southern states of the country were having sleepless nights, that is until FlyBird came to their rescue, with their own brand of innovative irrigation solutions. 
 These technology startups are helping to reduce water usage by almost 40%, according to the Economic Times. Karnataka being a <keyword id="196094" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="leading-producer">leading producer</keyword> of coconuts requires plenty of water as coconut plants are guzzlers. An increasing number of startups is developing much-needed and affordable solutions for farmers across the agricultural cycle - for eliminating pests, smarter irrigation, precise weather forecasting, and improving yields - that could help three-fifths of India's 1.2 billion people who are dependent on monsoon rains. 
 
"Our solution for precise irrigation also increases crop yield and gives farmers higher returns by 10-15%," said Saitsh KS, founder of FlyBird. At a price of Rs 16,000-Rs 28,000, the firm's technology costs about one-third of similar US and Israeli variants, he said. 
 For the farmers, the <keyword id="25450" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="savings">savings</keyword> are more fundamental. "A coconut plant requires 100 litres of water a day. With the earlier flooding system I would overuse water by as much 1,000 litres. Now this extra water can be used for other crops,” a <keyword id="48857" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Farmer">farmer</keyword> told ET. 
 Farmers can also look up to Skymet Weather Services for a more accurate telling of the weather. The private forecaster - using a system that is a combination of historical data and high speed computing - has been closer to actual rainfall in the past three years than the <keyword id="55209" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Meteorological-Department">Indian Meteorological Department</keyword>. The Noida-based firm has also facilitated crop <keyword id="35450" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="insurance">insurance</keyword> claims for 13-15 million farmers, said Jatin Singh, <keyword id="1542630" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="founder-and-chief-executive">founder and chief executive</keyword>. 
 For pest control, Bengaluru-based <keyword id="2888712" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Barrix">Barrix</keyword> has developed phermone-based traps and sticky sheets. "Farmers spend Rs 1,500-3,000 per spray per acre of land with commercially available pesticides. Even then pests get resistance and come back and damage crops," said Lokesh Makam, founder and <keyword id="5645" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="CEO">CEO</keyword>, adding that Barrix has sold its products to 60,000 farmers across 16 states. 
 "There is a huge upside to improve productivity by using non-traditional technologies, i.e., bringing other functional expertise into agriculture viz-a-viz IT, analytics, data, sensors, pharmaceutical concepts, etc," Jinesh Shah, founding partner, <keyword id="1873742" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Omnivore-Partners">Omnivore Partners</keyword>, an agriculture-focused <keyword id="6357097" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="venture-capital">venture capital</keyword> firm that has backed both Skymet and Barrix told the financial daily. "The marriage of these technologies to solve agriculture problems can be fruitful for investors going forward." 
 
(Image: Wikimedia)

Startups in Bengaluru are helping coconut farmers in a very innovative way

It is indeed a proud moment for India as an app created by a 25-year-old girl has made its way to the Visualising Cities exhibit at the prestigious <keyword id="6355833" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="united-nations">United Nations</keyword> Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador. 
 Chennai Flood Map is an app that visualizes the impact of last year’s devastating floods in the city. It was jointly developed by five colleagues at <keyword id="2628107" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="mapbox">Mapbox</keyword>, Bangalore, in the last week of November 2015, when torrential rains ravaged Chennai. 
 
It is now among the five projects selected by the United Nations across the world that has "amazed by the way the winning entries took on tough ecological and social challenges something we’ve seen across developed and developing countries" according to a statement released by the United Nations on Monday. 
 25-year-old <keyword id="3807643" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="aruna-sankaranarayanan">Aruna Sankaranarayanan</keyword> came upon the idea to design an interactive app when Mapbox had their monthly hackathon going on. Incidentally, Chennai’s monsoons with severe thunderstorms had battered the city around the same time, flooding many parts. The app she developed displayed an interactive map of the city, and helped people update the status of their locality on it. 
 
 
Anyone caught could mark their area as flooded and it would show up to others in pink. The app completed in two days' time did not receive a great response until the floods situation turned worse by the first week of December last year. The app went viral and so much so that the personal server couldn’t take the load, and it had to be scaled up. 
 
Apart from her passion for software designing, Aruna is also in love with Indian classical music and has been reaching out to many artists to help her with an app that will make Indian classical music more accessible.

This app by a Bengaluru girl that saved several lives during Chennai floods, will now inspire thousands at the UN Ecuador Conference

<ul><li>Hyderabad may not have drinking water in the next 48 days. </li><li>A sluggish monsoon that brought little rainfall in Telangana state, has put Hyderabad at the brink of a <keyword id="6355836" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-crisis">water crisis</keyword>. </li><li>It could affect its 6.8 million residents. </li></ul>India’s worst ever water crisis might cripple the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad — in the next 48 days. A sluggish monsoon that brought little rainfall in Telangana state, has put its capital — Hyderabad— at the brink of a water crisis. And, it could affect its 6.8 million residents. Since July 1, Hyderabad district witnessed 115.1 mm of rainfall. But it is 29% lower than its normal rainfall,<a href="https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/water-crisis-looming-over-hyderabad-telanganas-reservoirs-run-dry-105433"> said Telangana State Development Planning Society. </a> “If monsoon plays truant, there is every likelihood of Hyderabad facing water crisis from the second week of September,” said an official to Times Of India. This will be the second city that will be in trouble after Chennai ran out of water, forcing its government to bring in water using train wagons. All the four reservoirs of Chennai ran dry, leaving its residents scrambling for<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms"> water to drink.</a> Drying Reservoirs There are two primary sources of water in Hyderabad — the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir (River Krishna) and the Yellampalli reservoir (River Godavari). Water levels at both these reservoirs are dangerously low, spreading fears of an acute water crisis. In spite of the rains, there isn’t any fresh water from any of the sources including the twin reservoirs of Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. The state authorities are hoping that rainfall in the next two-three weeks can restore the situation back to normal. In case the water level doesn’t rise, the state authorities will have to prepare an emergency action plan that involves pumping out water from reservoirs. Nation-wide crisis The government think tank NITI Aayog believes that 21 of the country’s major cities will be devoid of groundwater by 2020, affecting 100 million people. It named New Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad in its list. Water has been a cause for stress in the country. While most cities are in want of water, others are facing an excess. <a href="https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/india/heavy-rain-and-floods-in-indias-assam-kill-10-displace-more-than-1m-1.65208377">Floods in Assam </a>have displaced a million people, and killed eleven as the state continues to face problems. Experts are calling for privatising water supply as a cost-effective measure that can bring in efficiencies into water management. “Mumbai loses 25% of its water to leakage and theft. Similarly, 37% of the water leaks out of Bangalore’s pipelines. Politicians and bureaucrats receive water in their own homes, and receive their salaries regardless of how poorly they perform their duties. Not surprisingly, they see no need to improve. <a href="https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3012374/indias-worst-ever-water-shortage-and-corruption-surrounding-it-can">an economist wrote in the South China Morning Post</a>.” See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-first-special-train-carrying-more-than-2-million-litre-of-water-reaches-chennai/articleshow/70192058.cms">The first special train carries 2 million litres of water to Chennai — but the quick fix might not solve its problems</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms">Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives</a>

You Searched For "monsoon rains in Bengaluru" and got 7 results

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Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives

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Startups in Bengaluru are helping coconut farmers in a very innovative way

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This app by a Bengaluru girl that saved several lives during Chennai floods, will now inspire thousands at the UN Ecuador Conference

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India’s water crisis deepens as Hyderabad might run out of water, like Chennai

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