The Hindu 26.06.2013
Nearly 1,500 acres of drains encroached, says N.R. Ramesh
Nearly 1,500 acres of storm water drains, including raja kaluves, have been encroached. This encroached land is worth more than Rs. 6,534 crore, said Yediyur councillor N.R. Ramesh in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) council on Tuesday.
He claimed to have spent Rs. 1.5 lakh of his personal funds to survey the storm water drain network in the city using satellite imagery.
Submitting a CD and map of the drain network to Commissioner M. Lakshminarayan, he said that none of the drains, especially raja kaluves, measuring around 857 km had any buffer zone or no development zone. “Though the Supreme Court and High Court of Karnataka have emphasised the need to have buffer zones, no action has been taken. What is shocking is that many ‘influential’ developers have encroached the drains and no attempt has been made to remove them,” he said.
Mr. Ramesh said the BBMP should clear the encroachments, which will prevent flooding. He suggested that the BBMP file caveats to prevent developers, who had encroached drains, from obtaining a stay from the High Court on the BBMP’s attempts to clear encroachments.
About the accumulation of silt and garbage in the drains, he said that clearing this accumulation is the responsibility of the garbage contractors. A circular in this regard had already been issued. “Garbage and silt accumulate in the drains only if garbage contractors have not cleared them from roads.”
CAG report
Opposition leader M.K. Gunashekar sought a discussion on the Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s report on the BBMP’s execution of projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Mr. Lakshminarayan said the discussion would be held after all the officials concerned submit their responses. A report on the CAG report would be tabled before the council later, he added.
Moodalapalya councillor Shantakumari lamented the state of BBMP schools and pointed out that with the lack of security, the schools had become centres for nefarious activities. She also said the BBMP was spending on furniture each year, while funds were not earmarked for maintenance.
Mr. Lakshminarayan said the BBMP had floated tenders for security guards and placed orders for notebooks, textbooks, uniforms and sweaters.
