Pramesh S Jain & Yogesh K Porwar
F
ormer Chief Minister and MP Basavaraj Bommai said there is no point in promoting ‘Brand Bengaluru’without providing funds to BBMP for cleaning stormwater drains before the onset of rains in the city.
Speaking to the media here on Wednesday,he said that Bengaluru faces significant damage during the rainy season,and many reports have highlighted this issue.
During his tenure as Chief Minister, the government spent around Rs.800 crore on a survey of the stormwater drains and initiated work.The current government is not properly continuing this work.
Instead of addressing the problem during the rains, cleaning the drains should begin before the rainy season starts. In low-lying areas,unauthorized constructions, layouts,and apartments need to be removed,but the work starts and stops without progress.
In areas like Yelahanka in North Bengaluru,lakes overflow,leading to waterlogging in low-lying areas.To prevent this,stormwater drains must be constructed. The Houses built in lake areas should be cleared.Similarly, South Bengaluru faces severe problems.
If the low-lying areas are not addressed, the issues will worsen. Talking about ‘Brand Bengaluru’without doing this work is pointless.
When the BJP was in power,the Congress leaders criticized them but now they are in power, and the ministers themselves are saying there should be no criticism.
A government must act responsibly on its own, and if not, at least when the opposition points out problems, action must be taken.
How can they claim everything is perfect when people are suffering? Instead of hiding the issues, solutions must be provided.
Bengaluru’s development cannot happen through mere publicity, the former CM pointed out.
The MP said the state government must first provide funds to BBMP for stormwater drain repairs. Without funding, nothing will happen.
BBMP is doing small repair works with the limited revenue from local taxes, but the government is not providing funds for major projects like stormwater drain repairs, railway underpasses,or overpasses.
Based on a report from IISc, the previous BJP government had requested around ₹2000 crore in financial assistance from the World Bank for comprehensive development of Bengaluru.
Even if this government secures funds from the World Bank, they must focus on improving the city’s stormwater drains.Currently,they neither provide the funds nor do the work, which is causing problems for school and college students,the working class, and commercial establishments. This government has no time for development; they are only concerned with retaining power.
Bommai also mentioned that significant progress was made on bringing water to Bengaluru through the fifth phase of the Cauvery water project during the BJP’s tenure.
The state government should inform the people of Bengaluru about how much work was completed during each administration.
They must explain the challenges faced,such as electric cable issues,and what solutions were provided. Additionally, the government should increase water treatment plants to purify and release water into the drains. If the water is not treated,it will lead to more diseases, he warned.
He advised the incumbent government that merely talking about ‘Brand Bengaluru’ is not enough.The government must take suggestions from the opposition and work collaboratively.
Let them reflect on the criticisms they made when they were in opposition.
