Over 200 residents of Royal Lake Front Residency, a Bengaluru Development Authority approved housing society in J P Nagar 8th Phase on Friday, have decided to boycott the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to protest the longstanding water crisis in the city.
According to reports, the residents accuse the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) of showing partiality by charging them Rs 2.3 crores for a Cauvery water connection, while providing the same supply to surrounding layouts without imposing any infrastructural charges.
Nagesh R, President of RLF Residents’ and Site Owners’ Welfare Association, wrote a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer stating, “We, the residents of RLF Residency layouts (Phase I and II), have decided to boycott the ensuing parliamentary election, scheduled to take place in April 2024, and also subsequent elections in the future if our grievance is not addressed.”
The housing society, established in 2003, has made repeated attempts to secure a Cauvery water connection from the BWSSB, but to no avail. The decision to boycott the elections highlights the residents’ frustration and determination to draw attention to the critical issue of water scarcity in Bengaluru.
