The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : How equipped is the BBMP to tackle heavy rain?

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Wednesday, Jul 04, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

How equipped is the BBMP to tackle heavy rain?

Afshan Yasmeen

The civic body says residents need not worry, while residents’ associations think otherwise

BBMP says it has in place a crisis management plan
Civic body identifies areas that need utmost attention

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Not prepared?: A file photo of workers removing silt from the Vrishabavathi sewage canal at Bapujinagar on Mysore Road. The remodelling of stormwater drains in the city has been slow.

BANGALORE: Will this year witness a repeat of the rain devastation of May 2006 that Bangalore experienced? “No” say spokespersons of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Citizen Associations, particularly those from areas that faced the brunt of the rains last year, however, are not convinced.

The torrential rain of May 2006 crippled almost the entire city. Posh residential layouts, poor low-lying slums and even the Mahatma Gandhi Road and Vidhana Veedhi were affected. While parts of Jayanagar went without power for three days as the junction boxes were damaged following the rain, Church Street, Shantinagar, Rest House Road were inundated in knee-deep water. The impact of the rain in areas such as Ejipura, Jogupalya, Jeevanabimanagar, Murgeshpalya, parts of Sampangiramnagar and surrounding areas was devastating.

The BBMP says that it has in place a crisis management and flood damage control plan. The fact remains that since the last catastrophe, the pace of remodelling of stormwater drains and removal of encroachments along and over them has been excruciatingly slow.

Clearing drains

“The BBMP is supposed to remove silt from the shoulder drains and the main stormwater drains well before the monsoon. But it is never done. Even if the silt is removed, it is dumped on the sides and soon finds its way back into the drains. Silt has to be removed for clogging of drains and water logging to be prevented,” S.R. Venkataraman, president of Suprajaa — the federation of associations of Visweshpuram, said.

According to S. Lakshman Kumar, convenor of Bommanahalli Citizens’ Welfare Association, the threat of flooding still looms large in his area. “During the deluge two years ago, 500 houses were submerged and several areas were flooded. The problem was because the ‘rajakaluve’ (main canal) was completely clogged. Following our struggle, some work on removing silt has been done. But still the civic officials cannot claim they are prepared to face the monsoon problems,” he said.

While officials explain that the water logging happens when the intensity of rain is high and whenever the flow of water into the drains is more than the discharge capacity. Several areas in the surrounding suburbs such as Puttenahalli, Pai Layout, HSR Layout and Bommanahalli were the worst-affected last year. That was because these areas did not have a stormwater drain network and, moreover, they had encroached upon lake-beds. These areas are now in the BBMP limits and the civic body claims it has prepared a contingency plan this time.

On the move

BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya is confident that the civic body is geared up to tackle rain contingencies. “There is absolutely no problem. We are fully geared up. Our control rooms, including the zonal control rooms, are in full action. In fact, I have directed a top official of the rank of Deputy Commissioner and above to sleep in the BBMP head-office building on a rotation basis till October. This is to ensure that we have a top official present to handle any emergency situation round-the-clock. I will also be on the move,” the Commissioner said.

He said the control rooms were fully equipped with men and material. Of the 280 identified vulnerable areas, 48 had been marked under “A” category and four of these are under “A+” category.

The classification had been done to show that these areas need utmost attention even during light rains. Work on the removal of silt from drains had also been expedited, he said.

The Commissioner said Bangaloreans had no reason to worry and fear that a Mumbai-like situation might arise here. “This is because the annual rainfall received in Bangalore is 750 mm (less than 90 cm), which Mumbai had in a day last year,” he said.

Topography-wise, Bangalore has a hilly terrain unlike Mumbai, which is at sea level. “If the rain is spread over a whole day, we have no problem. But if it rains for one hour continuously, the “run-off” is heavy and the drains will definitely take some time to discharge the extra water,” the Commissioner said.

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