Activist groups, RWAs visit Koramangala, fry passive BBMP

Having borne the brunt of the heavy downpour of the last couple of days, people of Koramangala - a few of whom had to be rescued in dinghies from their apartments-  are expectedly upset with the government and the BBMP for failing to take necessary precautions despite the annual flooding the city sees during the monsoon.

Many were vocal in their disgust when  a  team of  United Bengaluru, a voluntary group, members of Resident Welfare Associations and Member of  Parliament, Rajeev Chandrasekhar  met residents of ST Bed in Koramangala, one of the worst affected areas.

Coming down heavily on the BBMP for failing to keep the Storm Water Drains (SWDs) in good condition, several blamed  unauthorised constructions and encroachments on drains for the flooding they had suffered.  

Said Mr Ajay, a resident of ST Bed , “I have visited the areas where rain and sewage flooded homes of innocent citizens in Bengaluru and am appalled at the blatant negligence of the BBMP! The biggest problem Bengaluru faces is that it fails to respond even when a problem is staring it in the face. Ignoring the fact that sewage and water enter people's homes, could lead to a severe public health crisis.”

While recalling that the government had sanctioned Rs 900 crore for the SWDs and 408 projects, he noted sadly that work was underway only on five per cent of them currently. “What are the priorities of the government? When you know the importance of these 408 projects for the city, why are you not doing anything about them?” he demanded.

Mr. Muralidhara Rao, vice president of the Bangalore Apartments Federation, complained about the ad-hoc and unplanned development of the city. “Only when these politicians come to inaugurate a project, do we come to know how much  public money was spent on it. We recenlty applied for membership of the ward committees, but the political nexus did not allow us on- board. We want to be part of decision- making as only if citizens are involved will there be monitoring of projects and a solution to such crises,” he contended.