As Bengaluru is reeling under severe waterlogging due to incessant heavy rains, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said a decision has been taken to release Rs 300 crore to deal with the current situation and the maintenance of basic infrastructure in the city.
Bommai said that a central team will arrive in Bengaluru on Tuesday night to study the rain and flood situation in the state. A memorandum will be submitted, and after that, the government will hold a meeting with the team members.
Locals in Bengaluru continue to bear the brunt of severe waterlogging as water is yet to recede from roads and bylanes after Monday’s downpour. Many parts of the state are witnessing flood-like situations due to heavy rains.
Earlier on Monday, CM held a meeting with the Bangalore Water Supply & Sewerage Board (BWSSB), deputy commissioners of 15 districts, and senior officials with regard to rain and floods in the state. While speaking to the media on Monday, Bommai said that the government has taken a decision to release Rs 600 crores for the management of floods in Bengaluru and other districts. Bengaluru alone has been allocated 300 crores for the purpose.
The BJP leader also talked about the T.K. Halli pumphouse in Mandya, which used to pump Cauvery drinking water but has been damaged due to the overflowing water from the Bheemeshwara River and other surrounding lakes. He ensured that the pumphouse would start pumping water after two days, after being cleaned and draining out the water from the Cauvery.
The Karnataka CM said that an alternative plan is being formulated for water supply in Bengaluru. Under it, 8000 borewells under the BWSSB would be restarted to supply water in disrupted areas. The government will also supply water through tankers to the areas with no borewells to prevent any disruption of water supply in Bengaluru.
He said that the area of Bengaluru has expanded due to the inclusion of 110 villages into the BBMP limits, which has also cropped up new problems.