BENGALURU: Bengaluru’s heavy rain and the flood horror snuffed out a young woman’s life late Monday night on the flooded Varthur Road in Whitefield even as severe inundation continued in south and south-east parts of Bengaluru on day two of continued miseries for residents, commuters and denizens of the affected parts of a much-touted ‘global city’.
Despite the magnitude of the problem faced by the state capital — also billed as the ‘IT Capital of India’ — Tuesday witnessed blame game being resorted to at every level, right from the civic authorities over the young woman’s death to the chief minister blaming the previous Congress government for the present mess, mainly due to inadequate infrastructure and poor city planning.
A 23-year-old woman,Akhila S, was electrocuted on Varthur Road near Mayura Bakery in Whitefield at about 9.30 pm on Monday while returning home late from her work at a school in BEML Layout where she worked as administrative staff. Delayed due to heavy rain, Akhila, a resident of Siddapura, started for home from the school on her two-wheeler, but lost her balance and fell on the flooded road.While trying to get up, she took support of an electric pole, got electrocuted, and died while passersby were trying to take her to the hospital.
Based on a complaint, the Whitefield police registered a complaint against Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom). But the officials of the latter have blamed Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for not maintaining the electric pole.
Bescom also blamed an advertising agency which installed a hoarding by using its connection and not maintaining the premise properly, a report on which was submitted to the investigation officer.As the blame game continues, the bereaved family of Akhila is now trying to come to terms with the fact that she, the sole bread-winner of the family who had to take care of her specially-challenged younger brother, is no more.
At another level, Mahadevapura MLA, Aravind Limbavaliblamed the flooding in his constituency on water gushing from Yelahanka, Hebbal and Electronic City. He has come under severe criticism on social media after TNIE tweeted a video of the MLA blaming the flooding on water gushing in from other areas.
Captain Santosh Kumar, a lake activist in Bengaluru South, said lakes and drains in Electronic City join at Bidaraguppe and enter Anekal and are no way connected with Whitefield or Varthur, which fall in Limbavali’s Mahadevapura constituency, which has rampant encroachment of lake beds and storm water drains.
Govt, Oppn locked in mud slinging
Even before the water receded from parts of Bengaluru, the ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a blame game. While CM pointed fingers at previous Congress regime, the opposition asked what his government has been doing for 3 years.
Help pours in
For those suffering the aftermath of the heavy rain and flooding in the city, here are some groups that are lending a helping hand. And for those willing to volunteer, here’s how you can.