Bengaluru: Thursday’s rain left Bommanhalli, Mahadevapura and parts of Rajarajeshwarinagar flooded. Fortunately help arrived at around 6.30 am Friday with fire and emergency personnel evacuating over 30 stranded locals in the areas.
While Mayor B. N. Manjunatha Reddy, BBMP commissioner N. Manjunath Reddy visited the spot to gauge the damage caused by the rain, Bommanhalli MLA, Satish Reddy distributed biscuit packets, milk sachets and water cans with the help of the fire and emergency personnel and the National Disaster Management squad among the marooned people. He also rode in a rubber boat, personally distributing water and other essentials.
The Mayor and the commissioner directed officials to use earthmovers and create a vent for the water to run off through the waste-weir. They also ordered demolition of unauthorised constructions obstructing the water run-off.
But the damage control measures of the BBMP did little to impress the affected people. “When we have been having rain for the last three days, why is the BBMP only now taking measures to prevent floods?” they demanded.
“It had three days to make adequate preparations to prevent this situation, but it did nothing,” they fumed, adding that had the BBMP desilted the drains in the area to let the rain water flow downstream towards the next lake, they could have been saved the misery of the floods. Mr Manjunath Prasad, however, blamed the flooding on the lack of continuity in the drain network and encroachment of the lake.
“Both the apathetic BBMP and the public are to be blamed,” he asserted.
