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Bommai blames record rain, rapid growth for flooding in Bengaluru
BJP leader SM Krishna wrote a letter to Bommai, raising concerns over the impact of rain and civic apathy on ‘Brand Bengaluru’
Bengaluru: Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday blamed rains and the rapid growth of Bengaluru for the flooding seen in the city, absolving his government and the corporation of their roles in allowing this unregulated expansion that brings India’s IT capital on its knees every time it rains.
“The average 15-day rainfall for the month of May was witnessed in just 4-5 hours in the city. It is one of the heaviest rains that the city has witnessed in the month of May in the last 40-50 years. Naturally all the low-lying areas are flooded. This is happening over the last three to four decades in Bengaluru whenever it rains heavily. Though the relief works are ongoing, the rapid growth of the city is making it a tough task to find a comprehensive solution,” Bommai said.
The chief minister visited several localities of the city, including JC Nagar, Laggere wards in Mahalakshmi Layout assembly constituency, Nagavara Metro station, HBR 5th block and Hebbal STP plant, among other places.
The statements by Bommai come even as the 12 million residents of Bengaluru continue to express outrage on social media and other platforms against the government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP, the city’s civic body) for its continued apathy, corruption and lack of concern for one of the biggest revenue earners for the state and country.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government is also accused of delaying the conducting of the BBMP elections for at least 198 wards which gave been vacant since September 2020, leaving most of the decision making with the state government and officials.
Bommai on Thursday said that he had already set aside ₹1,600 crore for modernisation of stormwater drains (SWD) or Rajaklauves, which were originally intended to take in all the excess rainwater and channel them into the lakes.
However, the rapid and unchecked expansion has reduced the number of the lakes in the city, replacing it with high-rise apartments and housing, which get flooded even at the hint of rains.
“We had made many decisions to address the flooding problem in the city when I held a meeting with MLAs of Bengaluru when it rained last time. A decision was taken to develop stormwater drains (Rajakaluves). The DPR has been prepared and the plan has been included in the budget. Work orders would be issued soon. Bottlenecks and silt would be removed for smooth flow of water in these stormwater drains, ₹400 crore is being spent for the purpose,” the chief minister said.
Bommai added that all drains will be desilted — an annual exercise taken up around monsoons and after flooding-related damage makes headlines.
“Desilting and pumping out water in inundated areas have been taken up on war footing with involvement of Home Guards, BBMP staff and Civil Defence personnel,” he added.
Congress’ leader of the opposition, Siddaramaiah, too visited several parts of the city after rainwater flooded homes, offices, shops, destroying lives and livelihoods.
Bengaluru is the crown jewel of Karnataka and is known world over for its prowess in information technology, biotechnology, startups, aerospace and right talent pool but the residents and corporations working here have been at the mercy of widespread civic apathy.
Former chief minister of Karnataka and now BJP leader, SM Krishna, on Thursday wrote a letter to Bommai, raising concerns over the impact of the rains and civic apathy on ‘Brand Bengaluru’.
In his letter, Krishna, who was chief minister of Karnataka from 1999-2004, said that the city is one of the fastest growing in the world.
“The recent rain-related havoc has…posed a threat to ‘Brand Bengaluru’ image which might also send a wrong message to the potential investors across the world,” he said.
Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy said a significant chunk of SWDs have been encroached.
“People have built homes on these encroached lands and these are not small houses but big apartment complexes and the two national parties have no courage to touch them,” Kumaraswamy said.
