Ministers and civic officials faced the wrath of angry residents on Saturday, when they visited areas that suffered waterlogging due to heavy rains on Independence Day.
Bengaluru Development Minister KJ George, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Mayor G Padmavathi, and BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad, were repeatedly confronted by groups of angry residents, who attacked the government for failing to tackle the massive drainage problem that had come to light during last year’s monsoons.
Following this, KJ George and the others conceded that BBMP officials were to blame for the flooding caused in the ST Bed area of the city.
At various places, George took officials to task for delays in work on stormwater drains, and warned of strict action if all work was not completed before December 31. At ST Bed Layout in Koramangala, which was among the worst affected areas, George directed authorities to take action against an Executive Engineer and an Assistant Executive Engineer.
On the flooding in the area, BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said, “A portion of the retention wall of the stormwater drain (SWD) was kept open as silt was being removed when it started to rain heavily around the midnight of August 14. The inundation and seepage of sewage water into homes could have been avoided had we taken proper measures.”
“I have instructed the engineer concerned to complete the work on the four SWDs in this area in 20 days,'' George said, adding that compensation would be provided to those whose residences and household goods were damaged by the deluge.
George directed officials to carry out their efforts on a war footing, and told the media that temporary measures would be taken to ensure rainwater does not enter into houses.
Other than ST Bed layout, the team inspected work at the PWD quarters on KH Road, Wilson Garden, JC Road, Arakere, Avani Shrigeri, Saraswathipuram, RR Layout and Srinivasa Reddy Layout, among other places. He also ordered demolition of structures encroaching on SWDs.
George told media persons that till July 31, 177km of SWD drains were constructed and another 165 km were in different stages of construction.