In the wake of last week’s flooding in southeast Bengaluru, the State government on Wednesday directed the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) to clear all encroachments on storm water drains (SWDs) and lakebeds in the city.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also directed the BBMP to dip into the emergency fund, which is allocated to each ward, to fill potholes. Chairing a meeting of senior officials of the BBMP and the Urban Development Department on Wednesday, he instructed officials to utilise the emergency fund of Rs. 140 crore to remove silt from SWDs and to take up other maintenance works in rain-affected areas.
A stay from the High Court had prevented the BBMP from removing encroachments. The CM told officials to seek a caveat against such cases in future.
The BBMP has identified 1,923 encroachments out of which 822 had been removed. The officials were told to remove the remaining 111 encroachments at the earliest.
Probe into plan sanctions
Residents of DUO Layout, Anugraha Layout and Akshaya Nagara Layout in Kodichikkanahalli were hit by floods last week. This has been attributed mainly to encroachment of lakebeds and SWDs, and neglect of drains, the CM told presspersons. Officials responsible for indiscriminate sanction of building plans and housing colonies would be punished, he warned.
The Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Urban Development Department has been asked to probe sanction of building plans by the BBMP. The ACS will submit a report within three days, said the CM, who holds Bengaluru Development portfolio.
Further, no desilting work had been carried out, he said.
Last week, the city had recorded 250 mm of rain, the highest in more than five decades. More than 600 houses were submerged since they were built on SWDs and lakebeds.
The BBMP had undertaken relief works on a war footing and is desilting SWDs, he said.
‘Use the Python’
Asked about the increasing number of potholes, Mr, Siddaramaiah said the BBMP has been directed to utilise the Rs. 20 lakh to Rs. 30 lakh sanctioned to each ward to fill potholes. Officials have been told to use the ‘Python Machine’, which was bought specially to repair potholes. The machine has been lying unused for close to two years.
