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Residents seek work from home, online classes amid water shortage
Bengaluru residents and organizations push for remote work amid water crisis. Blogger urges 90-day work from home policy for IT firms.
Bengaluru: In the face of Bengaluru’s escalating water crisis, residents and organisations are rallying for a shift towards remote work practices. Residents are urging companies to adopt remote work policies and educational institutions to continue offering virtual learning solutions.
A concerned voice, echoed by prominent weather commentator Bengaluru Weatherman, has implored IT organisations to institute a 90-day work from home policy amid the ongoing water scarcity. With a parched forecast looming for the next month, the blogger emphasised the urgent need for the Karnataka government to consider remote work options until the rains arrive.
“Please instruct IT organisations based in Bengaluru to announce 90 days’ Work from Home amid the ongoing water crisis,” said the blogger on X.
Residents of HSR Layout too have been calling on IT firms to actively facilitate remote work for their staff.
“IT companies need to come forward and allow employees to work from home, wherever possible. The water situation in Bengaluru is going from bad to worse, and there’s nothing much we can do,” the association of the residents said in a statement.
Rajesh Pillai, a resident of Jayanagar, encountered a dire water shortage in his apartment complex, leaving him and his spouse grappling for essential supplies.
“The water crisis compelled us to relocate temporarily. Despite this, we’re saddled with a significant monthly rent of ₹25,000 for an uninhabitable flat. This is getting difficult,” he added.
His predicament is exacerbated by his employer’s refusal to implement a work from home arrangement.
“Ideally, we want to move back to our hometown from where we can work,” he asserted.
Namma Whitefield, a federation of residents and welfare associations in the Whitefield area, implored authorities to mandate work from home for the IT sector.
“Please mandate work from home, especially for IT sector. It will allow employees to return to their hometown and reduce the burden on Bengaluru. Please mandate education too for schools and colleges. It worked during Covid, it will work during water emergency,” the federation appealed to the government.
However, scepticism lingers regarding the viability of such measures. Some users fear potential repercussions on the city’s real estate market.
Krishna Kumar Gowda of the Outer Ring Road Companies Association highlighted the collective responsibility of companies and tech parks to conserve water and urged authorities to bridge the gap between demand and supply for both corporate and residential needs.
“It is concerning to note the overall shortage of water supply. This will affect households as well as office complexes and campuses. As responsible citizens, all companies and tech parks should put in measures to save water as much as possible in addition to all that they are already doing in this regard. We (ORRCA) also urge BWSSB and relevant authorities to take correct right measures to bridge the gap between the demand and supply for both corporates and residences,” he added.
Meanwhile, responding to calls for work from home, deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar emphasised that while the situation isn’t dire yet, he asserted the government’s commitment to ensuring water access for all residents.
“It’s not my job to tell companies for work from home. The situation too is not that bad as of now. Water will be given to all residents as there is enough in the reservoirs,” he added.
