Bengaluru: The failure by the BBMP and state government in clearing the massive encroachment on the drains and allowing layouts in low-lying areas led to the catastrophe claiming the lives of 10 innocent citizens, said civic expert and secretary of Citizens Action Forum (CAF) N. Mukund.
Mukund told Deccan Chronicle that the successive governments have enjoyed the vote bank and huge party funds by allowing the encroachments and violation of Karnataka Town and Country Planning (KTCP) Act. Layouts and constructions activities were allowed in glaring breach of laws.
After initial hammering and bulldozing of encroachments for media blitz, the government has gone low or sitting mum on encroachers. Is this an indication that the encroachers are bring protected or with the election getting closer are the public representatives fear of losing the vote bank, he questioned.
Rampant encroachment of lakes, drains and buffer zones have had an adverse impact on the natural flow of the storm water. Low lying areas bear the brunt when the rain gods show no mercy on man made errors, he explained.
It is an indication that if the natural gradient of the storm water drain is altered, the people and the government would have to pay the price. It is high time the government refrains from allowing layouts on the lake beds or at buffer zones. They should be prevented at the planning level itself, he said.
The services of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) at Roorkee, Uttarakhand or North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) should be availed to ascertain the exact reason for flooding and solution should be thought about, Mukund suggested.
Mukund said that the NDRF must be equipped with better equipment and technology. For a city like Bengaluru and its population, it is necessary that the force must be strengthened.
BBMP officials blame it on rains
However, the BBMP engineers in charge of Storm Water Drains (SWD) attributed the flooding in West Bengaluru to the unprecedented rainfall and encroachment of drains at some locations. A senior engineer on condition of anonymity said that although there are no lakes in Kurubarahalli, Nandini layout, Mahalakshmi layout and surrounding areas they are part of Vrishabhavathy valley and low lying areas.
Citizens are still scooping out the marooned water even on Sunday. Kendriya Vihar is worst hit with knee-deep water accumulated at the basement.
