BENGALURU: Even before the water has receded and a semblance of normalcy has returned to Bengaluru’s rain-battered swathes along the IT corridor, the ruling and opposition parties are engaged in a blame game over the flood-like situation in Bengaluru.
After Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai blamed the previous Congress government for the current situation, the Opposition hit back, asking the BJP government what it had been doing for three years. “This is the result of maladministration of the Congress government. I have taken it as a challenge,” he told reporters. The previous government had recklessly permitted building of houses and apartments on tanks, tank bunds and buffer zones, and was solely responsible for the present situation. He said his government released Rs 1,500 crore for the construction of rajakaluves. On Monday, encroachments worth Rs 300 crore were removed, he said.
KPCC chief DK Shivakumar hit back, saying the government had failed to take measures to help people, and was blaming the Congress. “Bengaluru never faced such a situation when the Congress was in power. Now you are in power and if you are not able to work, let us go for elections,” Shivakumar said. He questioned the BJP government on what it had done for three years, and said instead of making these allegations, the CM should order a probe and prove if the Congress had done anything wrong. Shivakumar said the Congress would not like to indulge in politics over such a crisis, and has a vision for the development of the state capital. CM Bommai said a Central team has reached Karnataka and will collect information on damage to crops, houses and infrastructure, and the government will seek suitable compensation from the Centre.
Record rain
Due to record rainfall in Bengaluru, the highest in 90 years, tanks have overflowed and a few have even breached, Bommai said. Only two zones in Bengaluru have been affected as all 69 lakes in the area overflowed. Officials and engineers are working 24x7 and the encroachment clearance drive is also on. The water which entered TK Halli pumphouses will take at least two days to be drained out, and this could affect water supply to Bengaluru, Bommai said.
Central team to visit rain-hit KK region
An inter-ministerial Central team is slated to visit flood amd rain-affected parts of Bidar, Kalaburagi and Yadgir districts of Kalyana Karnataka on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to assess the loss caused by the deluge, through the months of July and August, sources said on Tuesday. The team will visit Hoonikeri village of Bidar taluk, Holsamudra village of Kamalnagar taluk, and Talwad M and Honnekeri villages of Bhalki taluk, on the same day. They are also scheduled to visit a few rain-affected villages of Kalaburagi district on Thursday, and of Yadgir district on Friday. Officials in Kalaburagi and Yadgir are finalising the details.