The 400-odd residents of Junnasandra and Green Villae Layout dread the monsoon every year, as the rains flooding, and overflow of sewage that stagnate on the roads. The heavy downpour over the last few days has compounded their problems as the area lacks good roads, drain network and street lights, they said.
Residents have been struggling for the past five years and submitted memorandums urging the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to provide basic amenities. “All our appeals have fallen on deaf ears. There are stray pigs roaming the roads that are slushy. Due to the incomplete drain network, there is no outlet for rainwater and sewage. Both stagnate in the area, making it difficult for us to even step out of our homes,” said Punithan Vivekanandam, a resident of Green Villae Layout.
Amaresh H.V. from the neighbouring Halanayakanahalli alleged that the problem has been compounding since 2014, when a private layout was developed over the rajakaluve. “The rajakaluve connected three lakes, including Halanayakanahalli Kere, Junnasandra lake. But with the layout now encroaching the drain, there is no place for the water to go. While half of the encroachment comes under BBMP limits, the other half comes under Halanayakanahalli gram panchayat limits,” he said and added that several complaints had been filed with the jurisdictional tahsildar and even the Lokayukta.
“After a survey, the tahsildar ordered the demolition of the layout. Around 70 sites have been identified as encroachments and already 18-20 buildings have come up,” he said.
With no respite to the problems, the residents have decided to take out a protest rally on November 21, with support from the local unit of Aam Aadmi Party, to draw the attention of the authorities concerned, including Mahadevapura MLA and minister Aravind Limbavali. The rally will be taken out from Junnasandra, Green Villae Layout to Kasavanahalli, Kaikondrahalli and culminate opposite Wipro office on Sarjapur Road.
