Bengaluru: In 2005, when the city still shone in its pensioners’ paradise glory, heavy rainfall in certain Southern pockets of the city had brought life to a standstill. Areas like Putenahalli, Bommanahalli, Mysore Road and Hosur Road were submerged in the deluge. After the floods, water had entered nearly 150 houses, throwing life out of gear for several weeks.
The recent Jammu and Kashmir tragedy has focused environmentalists’ attention on the dangers of floods and they worry if the Silicon city too will meet the same fate as the Kashmir Valley. “What is the guarantee that floods will not hit Bengaluru in the next monsoon?” questions Mr A.T Ramaswamy, former chairman of Joint Legislature Committee, who is actively fighting against land grabbing across the state.
He points out that several hundred kilometers of raja kaluves and lake beds have been encroached upon by builders. “Where will the rain water flow? The residents of low-lying areas are destined to face the brunt,” he adds. When floods last lashed Bengaluru, the state government ordered the demolition of all unauthorized structures.
A team led by former deputy commissioner M.A Sadiq had identified nearly 800 encroachments while nearly 300 were razed. “I even submitted a report on all the storm water drain encroachments in the city. But I just don’t know what happened to that report,” the former DC admits.
According to BBMP officials, nearly 150 acres of lake beds have been illegally occupied. So far only 50 per cent of these encroachments have been demolished. “In the last two years, 85 acres of lake encroachments have been removed. This, of course, is apart from the storm water drain encroachments.
The drive progresses slowly and will take some more years before all the encroachments can be razed,” says B.V Satish, chief engineer of lakes.
