BBMP gears up to avoid monsoon mess

Sanskrit32

Editor

posted on 13 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

50
views

BANGALORE: The popular thought of rain being a 'welcome relief', has changed among Bangaloreans due to the fact that the unplanned..

BANGALORE: The popular thought of rain being a 'welcome relief', has changed among Bangaloreans due to the fact that the unplanned 'drain' network often suffocates the lives of people.
BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah has stated that more than 747 kilometers of primary and secondary drains will be destilted before the onset of the monsoon. This mammoth task would also include building retaining walls, removal of encroachments and fencing of Storm Water Drains (SWD). The fencing of these 'Rajakaluve' (SWD) has become a priority, as five children have lost their lives.

Reasons behind the flooding

Adding to this, he states that the size of the drains did not grow with the city. "The capacity of the drains should have increased substantially to accommodate the excess water", he asserts. Looking ahead, he has marshaled his officials to enforce Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) as well. "If we can trap the millions of liters of fresh water and channel it into lakes and into the ground, we can have reservoirs of fresh water and also recharge ground water tables", he explains. Sharing his latest proposal, he said Palike was requesting the state government to make small lakes within the 438 acres of Palace Grounds. "If at least 10 per cent of the grounds is used, water can be trapped here and avoid flooding in surrounding areas", Siddaiah said.

The BBMP has been the punching bag for most of the mess that occurs in the city.

Added to this, illegal dumping of construction debris and garbage by construction companies and individuals has added to the clogging of drains. The BBMP has issued a stern warning against such activities and have also announced that it would attract fines upto `25,000 .

Undertaken

BBMP's efforts to desilt rains has been a positive move towards providing some relief. Added to the desilting works, the Palike has set up as many as 63 Prahari (Emergency Rescue Teams), who would be able to reach affected areas sooner and carry out operations. Added to this, they have also set up over 40 teams for clearance of fallen trees and branches in the city. Zonal joint commissioners have also been empowered to form teams to clear encroachments.