A Kerala Minister is dangling bait, hoping IT fish in Bengaluru will bite. The state’s Industries and Law Minister P Rajeev has issued an invitation to IT films in Bengaluru, asking them to set up facilities in the state which unlike Bengaluru, has no water crisis. 

In a statement to The Economic Times on Tuesday, March 26, Rajeev said Kerala was ready to offer IT companies abundant facilities and ample water resources. 

“After we read reports of the water crisis in Bengaluru, we wrote to the IT companies offering them all facilities as well as plenty of water. We have 44 rivers, big and small, in our state, so water is not an issue at all,” he told ET. 

He also took to social media to highlight Kerala's environmental advantages and success in attracting green protocol compliant companies. Emphasising Kerala's stability in terms of water and air quality, he said, "In Kerala, there is never a crisis in terms of water or clean air, as is heard in other places. Therefore, we are welcoming the new generation of green protocol compliant companies to the growing IT/Tech hub of Kerala. (sic)"

He further said, “More than 10 lakh people have been employed in tech parks and other IT companies in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode districts in the last 5 years alone. Many leading companies have also announced that they are looking at Kerala as a destination. In this scenario, more companies are invited to Kerala with 4 international airports, large seaports and other infrastructure facilities. Kerala also has the best startup ecosystem in the country.” 

Bengaluru is grappling with a severe water crisis this summer, with many parts of the city facing a shortage. Poor monsoons last year have led to decreased water flow in the Cauvery River, from the primary source, even as declining groundwater levels have forced the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) to form rules requiring people to seek approval before drilling borewells.

Bengaluru relies on about 1,450 MLD (million litres per day) of water sourced from the Cauvery River, supplemented by an additional 700 MLD from underground resources. However, owing to limited availability from both these sources, various industries, institutions, and residents are grappling with severe consequences, such as depleted reservoirs, stringent water rationing measures, and dry borewells.