Blame plastics for flooding

Blame plastics for flooding
Incessant rain over the past two weeks has brought into sharp focus unpreparedness of the city administration for the monsoon. We explore the reasons for the city’s woes, possible solutions and their implementation.
The Times of India

Bangalore: Mossy brown, redworm infested water trickling irregularly from their taps and borewells has been a regular feature for residents of Bharat Mata Layout at Venkateshpuram. When it rains, the water problem escalates because right next to the pipe is a storm water drain that resembles a sewage river.

Desilting of drains before the monsoon sets in is the only way to prevent both floods and contamination of water, a mix of sewage and rain, says urban planners.

An entirely avoidable problem — that civic agencies deem fit to blame citizens for — is building houses on storm water drains. Says R. Jaiprasad, Technical Adviser, BCC, “People, for whatever reason, have built houses upon storm water drains. They do it without clearance, without adhering to byelaws. Ultimately they suffer because obviously if you have a concrete structure on a percolating drain, it will automatically get choked.’’

At Pipeline Road near Seshadripuram, residents don’t really bother calling anyone for their run of woes because there are innumerable houses on slabs covering drains.

Yet another contributor to the choke-a-block situation is largescale unchecked dumping of plastic. Ecologists aver that a ton of plastic can block percolation over a 100-km stretch of a drain.

Jaiprasad further explains, “Storm water drains is one of the most affected service lines of the city and is aggravated by uncontrolled land development, unauthorised encroachment and indiscriminate dumping of solid waste, consequent sedimentation, vegetation growth and connections of sewerage outlets into the drains. This reduces the carrying capacity of the drains, in turn causing localised floods.’’

Based on these observations BCC has identified 66 wards as flood prone and work is under way to remodel and provide retaining walls at these drains in these areas.

Solutions abound but implementation, which has been kicked off by the BCC, is yet to see 100 per cent completion. Explains A.K. Khatri, Chief Manager, HAL, who has worked as a civil engineer in differ-What BCC, BWSSB SAY
An underground rain water disposal system is the most effective and desirable way to remove sewage and prevent floods. But it may not be feasible for Bangalore. a. It is a very expensive proposition b. The design becomes very heavy in proportion with the size of Bangalore’s drains c. In some Western countries which have this sytem, there are deep tunnels of about 30 mts, the storm water is later treated

“No housing or building proposal should be approved till it ensures water, sewer, power, telephone and other services are installed first. Only then should a layout be approved for sale of sites.’’

Another suggestion is that of having underground rainwater disposal system in the city. Is Bangalore ready for it?