Rain retreats from City, woes remain

Rain retreats from City, woes remain
Deccan Herald

The City can heave a sigh of relief with the Met department placing it in the no-rain zone. But for the displaced, it is a long way before life gets back on track.

Rain has subsided, but the woes of Bangaloreans and those residing in the surrounding areas have not. Two persons died when a house in Devanahalli in Bangalore Rural district collapsed due to rains, while the body of a man was found in the Jakkasandra storm water drain in the City on Friday.

Narayanamma (25) and Manjula (2) died when their house collapsed due to rains on Friday morning. In Bangalore, the decomposed body of Manivanna was found in the Jakkasandra storm water drain near Srinivagalu in Koramangala. Manivanna was caught unawares in the flash floods on October 22. Friday provided a respite of sorts for Bangaloreans, despite the weatherman predicting heavy rain. Bangalore City area received a negligent 0.2 mm of rainfall during the day, while the airport area recorded no rainfall. As per the Meteorological readings, rainfall occurred at a few places over coastal Karnataka and south interior Karnataka and at isolated places over north interior Karnataka.

Districts like Kolar and Tumkur received heavy rainfall of 40 mm.

According to Meteorological Centre Director A L Koppar, by Friday afternoon the deep depression had already moved past the Andhra coast and reached the Telangana region, placing Bangalore in the no-rain zone. “The weather around Bangalore will vastly improve. It is likely to be sunny, as the rain-producing systems are nowhere in sight,” he said.

Hundreds of displaced people, who have been put up at schools, fear they would be shunted out once the schools reopen next week. Residents of Lakshmi Layout in JP Nagar, who have been put up at the government school in Uttarahalli Hobli, are among them. “Where will we go once the school reopens”, asked Jayamma. The authorities, however, assured that alternative arrangements would be made to accommodate all the affected.

Chief Minister N Dharam Singh visited several rain-affected parts and distributed cheques, blankets and sarees. The highlight of the four-hour long tour was perhaps the touchdown at Hosur Road next to the Wipro and HTML offices in Bommanahalli. Top officers of Wipro, who were seen battling gushing water days ago, stood aloof on their campus and had a good gape as the ministerial junket learnt things first hand.

Byatarayanpura, Mahadevapura and K R Puram were the other areas in the chief minister’s itinerary. At the relief camp in Maruthinagar, Byatarayanpura, the chief minister came face to face with people from his home Jewargi. “Navuu nimma jaagadavare” (We are from your area) was how the men in the camp greeted Mr Singh.

MONSOON TRAIL

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Centre appealed for immediate interim relief of Rs 500 crore.

Cheques and blankets given to the affected.