"Not just plain promises.We need action"

Voice of the people
Not just plain promises.We need action

Wake up, CM!
I was shocked to read that our CM has called for yet another meeting to review the condition of Bangalore following the rain battering. He must understand that now one needs to be proactive and provide immediate solutions and relief rather than arrange meetings. Imagine if Bangalore is hit by a Katrina or a Wilma. Will he arrange meetings? The CM and his cabinet must show some action with respect to the pathetic condition of the roads and infrastructure. Instead of insinuating that corporate CEOs are land grabbers and putting the spanner in the city’s development, the government must wake up and ensure that tax-payers get a decent place to live in. Or else they’ll have to face the wrath of the people.
— Sumathindra Rao,

Bangalore We’re to Blame
This isn’t an attempt to absolve the civic administration of their gross negligence and callousness which led to much misery following the heavy rains on Saturday. However, Bangaloreans need to introspect on how much they have contributed to these ills. Did they not think of the consequences when they went about indiscriminately building multi-storeyed office complexes and apartments in low-lying areas, encroaching on lakes and their bunds, blocking natural canals with scant regard for bye-laws and regulations, often actively bribing the authorities to obtain their nod? Now, the chickens have clearly come home to roost. Bommanahalli is a perfect example of chaotic development where buildings stand cheek-by-jowl with complete absence of any planning. Except for where the lakes have overflowed, most of the city seems to have coped rather well given the volume of rainfall. Isn’t this a clear pointer to where the problem might lie? It is clearly time for the CMCs to be disbanded and these areas brought under the jurisdiction of the BCC or BDA. May I close with what John F Kennedy said, ‘We neglect our cities at our peril. For, in neglecting them, we neglect the nation.’
— Gopal Srinivasan, Bangalore

Disease Threat
The water from the overflowing Begur Lake is flowing across 9th Main, Hongasandra Road, and the road is totally washed away. The authorities are not taking any interest to see that the drainage system is cleared. It is life threatening as children and vehicles could fall into open potholes and the stagnant water could cause epidemics in these areas.
—Sunil Kumar C N, Bangalore

Land Encroachment
We need to blame ourselves for not learning from our mistakes. We have forgotten that we are part of the system and our contribution in solving problem leaves a lot to be desired — haphazard growth of urbanisation, forming new layouts to meet our immediate needs, not giving a thought to the infrastructure facilities available. When we took up construction, were we not aware of low-lying areas? What preventive measures did we adopt? It is now or never to put an end to land encroachment for residential and commercial purposes.
—Inamdar Ramachandra, Bangalore

Clear the Drains
The main reason for the flash floods is the drainage design. Shallow drains, often clogged with garbage, force the water onto roads and residential areas.Three things must be done immediately: i) Increase the depth of drainage to 4-6 feet; ii) Educate the people not to throw rubbish into the drains and iii) Construction sites of any kind (flyovers, bridges, roads, buildings, etc. should have adequate drainage systems and tarred approach roads before the construction begins so that debris from the site does not block the flow of rain water to the drain. Didn’t we learn anything from the Mumbai crisis few months ago?
— Suresh Kumar Parappurath, Bangalore

International City?
I get very irritated when people and the media refer to Bangalore as an ‘international city’. Having lived in Toronto for the last 35 years and having travelled widely in North America and Europe, let me tell you that Bangalore does not come even close to an international town, let alone a city. Even Colombo in Sri Lanka with its beautiful airport and disciplined driving is much cleaner and more beautiful than Bangalore.
Bangalore is simply chaos. The feeling starts right at the airport and endures as one enters the city. Politicians often compare Bangalore to Singapore, Bangkok, etc. It is a far cry. Let us first address the traffic problems, clean the garbage, erase the frequent and long power cuts, provide good drinking water and keep Bangalore clean. Let Bangalore be Bangalore and let us not live in an illusion that we are living in an international city!
— S R Murthy, Bangalore

Thanks, Mr Gowda
A once sleepy city like Bangalore which today has become such a focal point globally needs to change for the better, fast. Sounds like those emanating from Mr Gowda should be seen in a positive light. They are sounds that should bring together with renewed vigour, all able citizens who till now have been working independently or just being hapless spectators. Inadvertently, Mr Gowda could be that proverbial lever with which Bangalore could be moved, in the right direction, fast.
Sanjay Noronha, Bangalore