India, May 10 -- In a bid to rein in skyrocketing water prices and tackle the city's long-standing dependence on private water suppliers, the Karnataka government has launched 'Sanchari Cauvery', a state-operated water tanker service aimed at delivering clean, affordable drinking water directly to residents.

Launched on Friday by Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha, the initiative promises to undercut what he termed the "tanker mafia", private operators who, according to the minister, charge up to Rs.3,000 for a single tanker using water drawn from over 3,000 unregulated borewells.

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"With 'Sanchari Cauvery', we are supplying BWS...