City gears up for another monsoon

City gears up for another monsoon
Monday June 2 2008 10:58 IST

ENS

BANGALORE: The monsoon has just commenced, but the rain-induced problems already abound.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has a tough task on its hands, as just 63.8 mm rainfall on Saturday uprooted 24 trees, flooded 8 houses including those in Deccan apartments on the new BEL road, and caused the collapse of a sidewall of stormwater drains along the Vrishabhavathy valley in Banashankari 3rd stage. Roads near Kamakhya Theatre and JC Road were flooded.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurapp has instructed officials to take up relief and rehabilitation works in Bangalore and other places in the state affected by Saturday's downpour. He has asked ministers Suresh Kumar and R Ashok to personally supervise these works.

Yeddyurappa has sought a detailed report from officials of concerned civic agencies about damages caused to houses and public property. On Sunday, ministers R Ashok and Suresh Kumar visited rain affected areas and reviewed contingency plans prepared by Palike.

The Palike has identified 196 vulnerable areas in eight zones. Commissioner S Subramanya said that the BBMP control rooms would be operational round the clock, every control room manned by 10-15 gangmen and two engineers.

They would be equipped with a dewatering pump, a generator, an excavator, two lorries and one ambulance. The engineers have been asked to ensure that garbage does not collect by the roadsides, and that trees are pruned.

The Palike has identified members of the public who would serve as Samparka Bandhus to work in coordination with civic officials in case of an emergency. The ward level engineers are given telephone numbers of these volunteers, who will monitor stormwater drains along Vrishabhavathy valley, Chellaghatta valley, Koramangala valley and Hebbal valley.

BBMP is in the process of remodeling the storm water drains in the city. It is expected that all primary and secondary stormwater drains will be properly functional this season, any complaints can be made over telephone.