Blame encroachments

Blame encroachments
The Times of India

Bangalore:

• Puttenahalli in JP Nagar VI phase was under four feet water for over a week during the recent rains. Excess water from the adjacent Puttenahalli tank entered the low-lying residential locality as its vents had been blocked.

• Several areas in Varthur and Bommanahalli were also flooded. Thanks to the encroachments on Varthur tank bed, water entered the homes in lowlying areas.

• The raja canal was encroached upon by the adjacent engineering college. Result: Hosur Road was flooded.

Why flooding during rains? The reason is a known fact - encroachment of valleys and tank beds. And this time, it is also official: that the violators are none other than wellknown builders who have encroached upon the tank beds in collusion with the officials, according to a survey conducted by the committee for removal of encroachment.

The committee was constituted by the government last month soon after the heavy downpour in October resulting in floods. Headed by BDA commissioner comprising heads of the civic bodies, the committee has identified encroachments of water bodies and valleys.

According to the findings, Puttenahalli lake is the worst affected as its catchments have been encroached upon. Next comes the Begur lake and Hebbal valley. Except for minor encroachments by individuals on its embankments, majority of the encroachments are in the form of commercial complexes and residential apartments constructed by the wellknown builders.

“ We h ave identified 20 s u ch struct u re s which have blatantly violated rules and have constructed buildings on the valleys. Instead of tackling small fries, this time we will lay the net for big fishes,’’ BDA commissioner and committee chairman M N Vidyashankar told The Times of India.

On December 6, the committee is meeting to take a final decision on removing the encroachments and also nailing down the violators. According to deputy commissioner, Bangalore urban, also the member secretary of the committee M A Sadiq, high-rise apartments in Puttenahalli have encroached upon the nala which is the main reason for flooding. Similarly, in Hogasandra coming under Bommanahalli CMC, Begur nala has been encroached upon by prominent builders.

For instance: A reputed builder has encroached upon 29 guntas of government land abutting a storm water drain in Munnekolalu near Bellandur. The DC’s office has written to the BDA to serve the builder a notice and cancel his building licence, informed Sadiq. Also, it has been found that the primary drain at Bommanahalli has been encroached upon for about 3 km from Begur to Agara lake leading to excessive flooding. This too, by known builders. CM N Dharam Singh who had visited the rainaffected areas and admitted that the valleys have been “encroached.’’