BENGALURU: Karnataka Lokayukta Justice P Vishwanatha Shetty visited the Hulimavu lake site on Monday and gave a severe dressing down to civic officials over the Sunday afternoon lake breach. The Lokayukta directed the authorities of BBMP and other government agencies to submit an interim report on five major issues within two weeks, and a comprehensive report in four weeks.
In a swift action, the Lokayukta issued a notice to the BBMP Commissioner, Secretary of Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, BWSSB Chairman and chief medical officer of BBMP and directed them to submit a report on the following issues: Steps taken to rehabilitate people; flooding near the lake; steps taken to prevent disruption of education to students; steps taken to compensate the victims; and steps to maintain hygiene in the. He also asked them to furnish names and addresses of affected people.
He took BBMP to task for failing to regularly monitor Hulimavu lake. According to the order passed by the Lokayukta, though a notice was issued to the BBMP on July 3, 2019, in response to the complaint filed by freedom fighter H S Doreswamy in September 2018, the BBMP officers failed to submit the status report on steps taken by them to rejuvenate Hulimavu lake. The case was adjourned to December 10.
Justice Shetty also questioned the BBMP officials about their whereabouts when the lake breached and warned them against blaming somebody else to cover their illegal acts. He said: “I don’t think you know me well. We know how to find out the truth, find the erring officials, and bring them to book. The government is giving money for protection of lakes and if that work is not done, it will show. I will know very well if lakes are not taken care of with the given money.”
He told the officials: “If you do not do your work, I will have to do my work. I will correct you and take disciplinary action against the erring officials. If somebody thinks they are too big to do work and attend to cases called by Lokayukta, then I will show them their place.”The Lokayukta’s visit to the lake breach site was in the wake of taking up suo motu action based on media reports, including the ones published in TNIE, about people affected by the lake breach.