Washing your car will now attract a fine of ₹5,000 in Karnataka. Here’s why

Washing your car will now attract a fine of ₹5,000 in Karnataka, according to the latest rule applied by the government administration. The state is going through a massive water crisis and this has prompted government departments to take extreme measures in a bid to conserve water. The Karnataka Water Supply and Sewerage Board has banned the usage of drinking water for car washing, gardening, construction, water fountains, road construction and maintenance, and has imposed a fine of ₹5,000 if the order is violated.

According to a recent report, collectors have declared all taluks of Bengaluru city district as drought-prone and private tankers are being needed to address the water crisis. In an emergency meeting held earlier this week, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said that the government will be prioritising irrigation and water management projects over other works.

Bengaluru and its neighbouring districts are heavily dependent on water tankers and the city has about 3,500 water tankers operational. That said, only 10 per cent or 219 tankers are registered with the government. The state government warned owners to register their water tankers with the government before March 7, 2024, to avoid seizure. The Karnataka government also fixed prices for water tankers amid allegations of tanker owners extorting high prices from customers.

As per the Bengaluru district administration, a 6,000-litre water tanker will cost ₹600, an 8,000-litre water tanker will cost ₹700, and a 12,000-litre water tanker will cost ₹1,000, for up to 5 km. Prices go up to ₹750 for a 6,000-litre water tanker, ₹850 for an 8,000-litre tanker, and ₹1,200 for a 12,000-litre tanker for a distance between 5-10 km.