The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Clear encroachments on drains, tanks’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 04, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Clear encroachments on drains, tanks’

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa visits some of the rain-affected areas in Bangalore

Chief Minister talks tough on garbage clearance mafia
Readiness of civic agencies reviewed

Taking stock: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa inspecting the Central Silk Board junction in \ Bangalore on Tuesday.

BANGALORE: Reiterating his promise to turn Bangalore into a model city, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Tuesday trained his guns on “land sharks” who have encroached tanks and main drains (raja kaluve) in the Garden City leading to water logging in low-lying areas.

He also instructed officials to take stringent measures to free the contract for garbage clearance from the clutches of mafia.

The new Chief Minister, who undertook his first-ever visit to some of the rain-affected areas of Bangalore on Tuesday, ordered the Bangalore Development Authority to clear such encroachments.

The issue also came up for discussion at a high-level meeting of MLAs representing different Assembly constituencies in Bangalore and officials from civic agencies such as Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board and Bangalore Development Authority held soon after his inspection.

Briefing reporters after the high-level meting, Mr. Yeddyurappa said: “I have asked the BDA officials not to tolerate such encroachments.” He noted that several MLAs from the city had brought to his notice that the encroachments of raja kaluve and tanks were mainly responsible for water-logging in low-lying areas during rains.

Another aspect which caught the attention of Mr. Yeddyurappa during the city inspection was the allegation that garbage clearance contract has gone into the hands of a mafia. He directed the officials concerned to act tough against such mafia and sought a report in this regard from the officials concerned.

At the meeting, Mr. Yeddyurappa reviewed the measures taken by various civic agencies to prepare for the monsoon season. His main brief to the officials was to ensure that rain-related problems do not recur, by working on a war-footing. “Be alert and ready for action round-the-clock during the monsoon period,” he told the officials and instructed them to set in place a contingency plan to tackle the monsoon problem.

The Chief Minister asked the civic agencies to adopt a two-pronged approach of long and short-term measures to tackle the rain-related problems of Bangalore. He expressed concern that some of the areas in Bangalore did not have basic facilities such as drainage. He stressed the need for a better coordination between the BBMP, BWSSB and BDA in taking up rain-relief works.

He assured the civic agencies that there will be no dearth of funds for infrastructure development schemes to be taken up by them. He would soon meet the Prime Minister again to request him to provide clearance for some of the long-pending projects of the State.

BBMP polls

To a query on when the BBMP polls will be held, Mr. Yeddyurappa said a decision in this regard would be taken soon after seeking vote of confidence on June 6.

The Chief Minister also said that he would review the civic works in Bangalore every month in the presence of the city legislators.

Visit

Earlier, Mr. Yeddyurappa visited the rain-affected areas in Bangalore and personally inspected various civic works undertaken by the BBMP.

Accompanied by his ministerial colleagues, MLAs from the city and senior officials, Mr. Yeddyurappa first visited the Central Silk Board Junction on Hosur Road.

Later, he inspected the ongoing works by the BBMP in Puttenahalli in J.P. Nagar, one of the areas badly affected by the rains.

He also took stock of the situation in Channammanakere area in the Padmanabhanagar constituency, where a huge drain and a few houses had collapsed following heavy rain.

As Mr. Yeddyurappa had to meet Governor Rameshwar Thakur, he cut short his city tour and rushed to the Raj Bhavan from Channamanakere area.

He cancelled his scheduled visit to Nayandahalli on Mysore Road.

Ministers R. Ashok, S. Suresh Kumar, Ramachandra Gowda, Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri, Shobha Karandlaje and Arvind Limbavali, the former Ministers and sitting MLAs from the Congress R. Roshan Baig and K.J. George, and most of the Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs from Bangalore accompanied the Chief Minister.

Administrator of the BBMP Dilip Rau and BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya were present.

Journalists stranded

Meanwhile, presspersons, who accompanied Mr. Yeddyurappa on his first tour of the city as Chief Minister, were put to inconvenience as the vehicle carrying them broke down a few minutes after the convoy left the Chief Minister’s home office “Krishna.”

As no alternative transport facility was arranged, several reporters and photographers could not make it to the areas visited by the Chief Minister.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka