BBMP’s monsoon plan a damp squib

BBMP’s monsoon plan a damp squib
SAME OLD FLOOD SPOTS IDENTIFIED; PALIKE CLAIMS DRAINS ARE DESILTED
Aarthi R and Sunitha Rao R | TNN

Bangalore: The monsoon set in over 20 days ago, but the BBMP is still revising its monsoon contingency plan for 2010. The updated report is expected to be out next week.
In August 2008, residents of Sai Gardens Apartment near Seegehalli limits had to hire boats to move around in their area, and even vacate their homes when it rained heavily.
This year too,they have their fingers crossed. Each time it starts raining, they are on alert, located as they are in the tank-bed region of Elemallapa lake in Avalahalli. In fact, the building is perched on the banks of a nullah that leads to Varthur Kodi. The nullah is getting narrower, but no action has been taken by the Seegehalli village panchayat or the BBMP.
FLASH FLOOD POINTS
In the city, some areas are perennial flood points, like Ejipura and Puttenahalli. They may have seen some change, but nothing has changed in many other vulnerable points within the BBMP’s limits — like Shivajinagar beef market area or the huge open storm water drain at HAL II Stage.
Even as BBMP officials at all levels assure a 50% better flood preparedness this time, there’s no proper record on the list of storm water drain works taken up and their present status.
BBMP’S CONTINGENCY PLAN
Every year, BBMP prepares its monsoon contingency plan and identifies vulnerable points in the city. Interestingly, BBMP’s list of vulnerable points for 2009 and 2010 are the same. TOI found that a majority of the mobile numbers of officers listed are either switched off or out of reach. Some are even non-existent.
Even the corporators of many wards are not sure how prepared their wards are for the monsoon. Says Sampath Raju, DJ Halli corporator: “I had asked them for a report on the work done in the area a month ago, but am yet to get the report. In between, we faced some flooding when it rained early this month. Now work is going on at places like Sugar Mandi and Srinivas Nagar.’’
FROM THE ZONES
According to chief engineer B T Ramesh, BBMP West zone, the vulnerable points will remain the same every year. “Though we have identified the same areas this year also, the impact of rain will not be much, because desilting of all major drains was done much before the monsoon commenced. We have equipped the Prahari team to attend to the complaints,” said Ramesh.
Some low-lying areas in Rajkumar ward in the vicinity of storm water drains are more flood-prone.
“I doubt if even 100 mm of rain will have much impact in many of these vulnerable points. Just recently, we desilted the complete Koramangala valley,’’ claimed Anantaswamy, chief engineer, BBMP South zone.
However, his main challenge in some areas is the dumping of garbage into drains. “At least 40% of the city’s daily garbage gets dumped in the open storm water drains. There can be no complete change without people’s participation,’’ he explains.
THE FINAL WORD
I am yet to go through the complete list of places identified on the list. However, the entire process needs a relook. We are working on some changes. It will be announced within the next two or three days. — S K Nataraj | MAYOR, WHEN ASKED ABOUT FLOOD CONTINGENCY PLAN
We are better prepared this time for the rain. However, the contingency plan for 2010 has to be updated with some recent developments. The revised plan should be out soon. — Bharat Lal Meena | BBMP COMMISSIONERBBMP’s monsoon plan a damp squib
SAME OLD FLOOD SPOTS IDENTIFIED; PALIKE CLAIMS DRAINS ARE DESILTED
Aarthi R and Sunitha Rao R | TNN

Bangalore: The monsoon set in over 20 days ago, but the BBMP is still revising its monsoon contingency plan for 2010. The updated report is expected to be out next week.
In August 2008, residents of Sai Gardens Apartment near Seegehalli limits had to hire boats to move around in their area, and even vacate their homes when it rained heavily.
This year too,they have their fingers crossed. Each time it starts raining, they are on alert, located as they are in the tank-bed region of Elemallapa lake in Avalahalli. In fact, the building is perched on the banks of a nullah that leads to Varthur Kodi. The nullah is getting narrower, but no action has been taken by the Seegehalli village panchayat or the BBMP.
FLASH FLOOD POINTS
In the city, some areas are perennial flood points, like Ejipura and Puttenahalli. They may have seen some change, but nothing has changed in many other vulnerable points within the BBMP’s limits — like Shivajinagar beef market area or the huge open storm water drain at HAL II Stage.
Even as BBMP officials at all levels assure a 50% better flood preparedness this time, there’s no proper record on the list of storm water drain works taken up and their present status.
BBMP’S CONTINGENCY PLAN
Every year, BBMP prepares its monsoon contingency plan and identifies vulnerable points in the city. Interestingly, BBMP’s list of vulnerable points for 2009 and 2010 are the same. TOI found that a majority of the mobile numbers of officers listed are either switched off or out of reach. Some are even non-existent.
Even the corporators of many wards are not sure how prepared their wards are for the monsoon. Says Sampath Raju, DJ Halli corporator: “I had asked them for a report on the work done in the area a month ago, but am yet to get the report. In between, we faced some flooding when it rained early this month. Now work is going on at places like Sugar Mandi and Srinivas Nagar.’’
FROM THE ZONES
According to chief engineer B T Ramesh, BBMP West zone, the vulnerable points will remain the same every year. “Though we have identified the same areas this year also, the impact of rain will not be much, because desilting of all major drains was done much before the monsoon commenced. We have equipped the Prahari team to attend to the complaints,” said Ramesh.
Some low-lying areas in Rajkumar ward in the vicinity of storm water drains are more flood-prone.
“I doubt if even 100 mm of rain will have much impact in many of these vulnerable points. Just recently, we desilted the complete Koramangala valley,’’ claimed Anantaswamy, chief engineer, BBMP South zone.
However, his main challenge in some areas is the dumping of garbage into drains. “At least 40% of the city’s daily garbage gets dumped in the open storm water drains. There can be no complete change without people’s participation,’’ he explains.
THE FINAL WORD
I am yet to go through the complete list of places identified on the list. However, the entire process needs a relook. We are working on some changes. It will be announced within the next two or three days. — S K Nataraj | MAYOR, WHEN ASKED ABOUT FLOOD CONTINGENCY PLAN
We are better prepared this time for the rain. However, the contingency plan for 2010 has to be updated with some recent developments. The revised plan should be out soon. — Bharat Lal Meena | BBMP COMMISSIONER