Record rains in 90 years;Govt working in challenging situation,says CM Bommai

Dr B Thomas (Special Correspondent)

Karnataka in general and Bengaluru in particular has received that much of rain which had not happened in the last 90 years.

But the government has been working in this quite challenging situation,opined Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Talking to reporters at his RT Nagar residence here on tuesday,he said all the tanks are filled to the brim.

While some are overflowing,a few have breached. But it was projected as if the whole of Bengaluru is submerged.

In fact,only two zones,and among them only Mahadevapura Zone has been affected as there are 69 lakes in this area and all of them have overflowed.

Almost all the buildings are in low-level and encroached upon too.The government has taken this very seriously.

The officials,engineers and NDRF teams are working 24 X 7.

Already,a majority of encroachment had been removed and still it was going on. The sluice gates will be fixed for the maintenance of tanks.

Officials have been asked to camp in the affected areas and to attend the works on receiving the calls from the distressed citizens.

The work on draining out of water has been going on.Except problems in one or two places,water has been taken out in most of the places.

The continuous rains was hampering this work.
Water disruption: Citizens must co-operate
Bommai said he had visited the submerged T.K.Halli water pumphouses which supplies drinking water to Bengaluru,and inspected the unit.

The excess water from River Bheemeshwara had entered the pumphouse causing damages to two pumphouses.

Water has been drained out from one pumphouse.The supply of 230 MLD of water would start from tonight but it will take at least two days to drain out water from 550 MLD water distribution pumphouse.

In between 8000 borewells of BWSSB and 4000 borewells in BBMP limits were activated to supply water to affected areas.

Besides,steps are taken to supply water through tankers.The government will seek co-operation of the citizens for two days,he added.

Suitable relief from Centre

He said a central team is visiting Karnataka today, and with that the damage caused by rains and floods across the State in general and Bengaluru in particular will be discussed.

The team will be given full information about the damage caused to crops,houses and infrastructure,and seek a suitable compensation from the Union Government.

About the alleged irregularities in PSI recruitment, Bommai said investigation was going on and the charge sheet has been filed.

Any new findings in the course of investigation will be probed accordingly.