BMP yet to survey drain encroachment

BMP yet to survey drain encroachment
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy wants the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) to make sure the city isn’t flooded this year, but our civic authorities are taking their time to survey encroachments blocking stormwater drains. As if that were not enough, some BMP engineers are not happy with their boss.

Recently a committee headed by deputy commissioner of Bangalore Urban District M A Sadiq made a report to the government identifying buildings that have encroached stormwater drains. The report said just 64 buildings had blocked the drains but were responsible for most of the flooding.

But BMP commissioner K Jairaj told this paper that he hadn’t received a copy of the report. He also said that the civic body had no comprehensive study on the menace and a survey would be soon initiated. ‘‘The encroachments will be cleared at any cost,’’ Jairaj said.

On the other hand engineers of the civic body are confused about the technical leadership. ‘‘While retired engineer-in-chief Rame Gowda has been overseeing the stormwater drain works, the existing work schedule suggests he is not in charge,’’ said an engineer. Rame Gowda’s extension as EIC had been questioned in the High Court and a judgement is awaited.

Subramanya Jois, advocate for the petitioner, said the BMP should not be entrusting Rame Gowda with key responsiblities as the civic body does not have any policy on accountability and service rules for retired officials discharging public duty.

Another retired EIC R Jayaprasad too has a controversial assignment. After retirement, he was retained by the civic body as technical advisor. Last year the High Court appointed him as member of the Capt Raja Rao committee to monitor quality of BMP works. But he continues to be BMP’s technical advisor also, jeopardising the neutrality of the HC Committee.

BMP joint commissioner Venkataramana Naik said Jayaprasad has been assigned work that was out of the purview of the HC committee. But Capt Raja Rao said that Jayaprasad was asked to resign from the BMP assignment before joining the HC team.

‘‘He was asked to resign from the BMP. His resignation was then forwarded to the government,’’ Rao said.