Rains witnessed in Bengaluru would flood even New York, says Karnataka Health Minister

The minister was addressing criticisms levelled against the government by chairman of Aarin Capital Partners T V Mohandas Pai, a former chief financial officer of the tech firm Infosys Ltd. He added, “Mr Mohandas Pai should say what would have happened if a similar amount of rain was to occur in New York. Please be tolerant and truthful. It is easy to complain but difficult to find solutions.”

Last week, Pai had tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central leaders on social media and had sought accountability for investments in infrastructure in the city of Bengaluru. “Sir pl help Bengaluru, our streets have debris, garbage, drains are blocked…. Does all this need more money or better governance? Our Metro is behind schedule, There is total mismanagement, Pl review our Major projects,” Pai’s tweet tagging the PM read.

Sudhakar also argued that Bommai and others in the government are trying to address a situation that has been created by the previous governments and not the present regime. “CM Bommai, the ministers in charge of Bengaluru, the elected representatives, officials and different civic agencies are working day and night. Our little Bengaluru, which was built by Kempegowda, has become a huge city due to development activities,” he said.

“The lakes that existed in the city at one time have been built upon and have disappeared as a result. Houses and buildings have been constructed on top of the storm water drains. In the catchment and overflow areas of some of the lakes houses and layouts have been built. Our government has inherited this situation and we have taken it up as a challenge,” the health minister’s post read.

“Many villages were added to the city of Bengaluru in an unscientific manner and these villages have been neglected. Who has committed this mistake?” he said.

“These things are a result of climate change. We should all work for urban development with regards for conservation and the environment. Nature will provide for all our needs but our greed will result in destruction. We need to be aware,” the post further read.

On Tuesday Bommai said that in the last few days, Bengaluru recorded its highest rainfall in 42 years. “All the 164 tanks in Bengaluru are filled to the brim and the excess water along with rain is flooding residential areas in south Bengaluru,” he said. Bommai added some areas in Bengaluru city have received 150 per cent more rain than the normal between September 1 and 5. Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli and K R Puram have recorded 307 per cent excess rain, Bommai said.

The city of Bengaluru has nearly 164 lakes at present. The city had as many as 272 lakes nearly five decades ago and many of the lakes in and around the city have been reclaimed by the state to facilitate the construction of residential and commercial properties.

According to a statement made by the BJP government in the state legislature last year, as many as 1,100 of the 1,500 lakes in Bengaluru and its larger urban and rural districts have seen encroachments.

One of the consequences of lakes turning into prime real estate projects and even government agencies taking over the water bodies to set up bus stands, stadiums and research centres is flooding during heavy rains. Such activities have also resulted in a depletion of groundwater levels in the city of Bengaluru.

“This has happened (flooding) because of maladministration and totally unplanned administration of the previous Congress government. They have given permissions left, right and centre — in the lakes, on the tank bunds, in the buffer zones and that has led to flooding,” Bommai said Tuesday.

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